44 parents accused of not sending kids to school

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The State Attorney's Office, along with the help of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, said it's serving warrants on 44 parents who have repeatedly failed to send their children to elementary school.

Prosecutors said these children have the highest absentee rates in Duval County.

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IMAGES: Mug shots of parents arrested

So far, 18 parents have been arrested in the sweep on charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a first-degree misdemeanor, and failure to comply with compulsory school attendance laws, a second-degree misdemeanor.

There are 180 days in the Duval County school calendar; and out of the 44 truancy cases, the children missed a combined total of 6,558 days in the last three school years, prosecutors said. They said in one case, a child missed 239 school days since 2011. The child was retained twice due to excessive absences, and is now 9 years old in the first grade.

Prosecutors said multiple efforts were made to improve attendance at the school level, then the district level and finally with the Truancy Arbitration Program at the State Attorney's Office. The arrest is the final resort to improve attendance of the child in need, prosecutors said.

"The truancy sweep is necessary to send a clear message to our parents that this behavior is not acceptable," said State Attorney Angela Corey. "Parents are responsible for the care and well-being of their children, which includes ensuring their children's attendance at school."

Those arrested so far are:

  • Michael Reams
  • Barbara Souza
  • Lashauna Lopez
  • Trina Terry
  • Justin Frier Sr.
  • Tiffany Brooks-Lamar
  • Tiffany Furrer
  • Lucius Corbitt
  • Afton Nolan
  • Charlie Thorton
  • Nikisha Brown
  • Rachel DeJesus
  • Aneisha Lundy
  • Susan Profit
  • Jackeya Davis
  • Claudia Tunin
  • Christina Crook
  • Kari Pope-Little

Each warrant carries a $1,503 bond. If convicted, the parents face up to a year in jail on the first-degree misdemeanor charge and up to 60 days in jail on the second-degree misdemeanor charge.