Mother wants to know why 8-year-old son was Baker Acted

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Myrna Miranda says the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office removed one of her 8-year-old twin sons from Around The Kids Care day care and detained him to be mentally evaluated. She also says she had no idea any of it was happening. 

"Nobody informed me, nobody called me, nobody told me, and I think it's totally unacceptable," Miranda said. 

She says she first found out from her son's twin.

"His brother came out and said, 'Christian is not here,' and that's when I realized he wasn't there," she said. "And I said, 'What?' And he said, 'Christian isn't here. The cops took him.'" 

"I reached out to call her and I didn't get her," Althena Alford, the owner of the daycare, says, "The next best thing was to consider the safety of the child and the safety of others".  

So, Alford had to call JSO. 

Miranda says she was able to get her 8-year-old son, and he is home with her. 

According to Florida law, parents must give consent for a child is admitted to a hospital under the Baker Act, unless there is a situation in which the child may be a danger to themselves or others. 

News4Jax spoke with Rhonda Peoples-Waters, an attorney who isn't affiliated with this case, about what the law says about situations like this one. 

"The law has spelled out that if you are the parent or other guardian of a minor that you should be contacted prior to this process of Baker acting," Peoples-Waters told News4Jax, "But, again, there are exceptions. If your child is in a situation where they are a danger to themselves or others, then the process can allow for emergency medical treatment to be rendered to that minor."