ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A 30-year-old Gainesville woman was arrested on a charge of child neglect Saturday night in St. Johns County.
Amy Kuitert was booked into the St. Johns County jail and released the next morning after posting $250 bond.
Recommended Videos
The investigation began at 9:15 p.m. Saturday when deputies responded to the Trade Wind Condominiums in the 7700 block of A1A South in reference to a found child.
Two teenagers, a 16-year old girl and 17-year old boy, on vacation from Tennessee, had located a young child on the beach who was very upset. The witnesses tried to locate a parent of the young boy for about 30 minutes, and when they were unsuccessful they notified a resident at the condo who called the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office.
The child told deputies that he was 5 and from Gainesville and was in town with his mother. At 10:30 p.m. a woman, who was accompanied by two family members, arrived on the scene and identified herself as the child's
mother.
The woman, who did not appear to be upset or concerned with the situation, according to the deputy, told the deputy that she "heard from someone" that the child was located.
The suspect told deputies that the child had been playing with other children and recently realized that he was gone. In charging the woman, the deputy noted that the child was outside of supervision of the suspect for more than an hour and a half and she made no attempt to summon law enforcement.
A Department of Children and Families investigator responded to determine the placement of the child as their investigation continues.