Mother charged with child neglect says runaway teen returned home

Heather Carrillo now worried DCF will take custody of 14-year-old daughter

Heather Carrillo

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 30-year-old Jacksonville woman was arrested Thursday on a charge of child neglect said her teenage daughter came back home over the weekend after running away. 

Heather Carrillo told News4Jax on Monday that even though she has her 14-year-old daughter, Allissia Mosley, back at home, she's still worried about her two younger daughters who are in foster care with the state.  

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Carrillo said her daughter ran away in November, came home at Christmas, then left again with a boyfriend at New Year's after a fight with her mom.

News4Jax spoke with Carrillo just after she was released Friday from the Duval County Jail. She said after her daughter ran away, she tried to file a missing-persons report, but police wouldn't let her.

Then when she went to police headquarters for help on Thursday, Carrillo said, she ended up under arrest.

At that time, the Department of Children and Families removed Carrillo's two other daughters, ages 12 and 7, and put them in protective custody. 

Carrillo said she did nothing wrong. 

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office gave News4Jax her arrest report, and then a copy of the statute used to charge Carrillo.

"Neglect of a child" means:

  • A caregiver’s failure or omission to provide a child with the care, supervision, and services necessary to maintain the child’s physical and mental health, including, but not limited to, food, nutrition, clothing, shelter, supervision, medicine, and medical services that a prudent person would consider essential for the well-being of the child; or
  • A caregiver’s failure to make a reasonable effort to protect a child from abuse, neglect, or exploitation by another person.
  • Carrillo said she's worried that DCF will take custody of her 14-year-old, and she's still uncertain when she will be reunited with her two younger daughters. 


    About the Author:

    Kent Justice co-anchors News4Jax's 5 p.m., 10 and 11 p.m. newscasts weeknights and reports on government and politics. He also hosts "This Week in Jacksonville," Channel 4's hot topics and politics public affairs show each Sunday morning at 9 a.m.