JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 30-year-old Jacksonville woman was arrested Thursday on a charge of child neglect after she says her daughter ran away, but when she tried to file a missing-persons report, police wouldn't let her.
Heather Carrillo doesn't know what else she could have done, saying when she went to police headquarters for help, she ended up under arrest.
The mother said her 14-year-old daughter ran away and won't come home.
"I don't understand," Carrillo said. "I did everything DCF told me to do."
News4Jax spoke with Carrillo just after she was released Friday from the Duval County Jail.
Carrillo said her daughter, Allissia Mosley, ran away in November, came home at Christmas, then left again with a boyfriend at New Year's after a fight with her mom.
"There was no way of keeping her here. There's no way," Carrillo said. "There's a record of domestic for her hitting me before. She's bigger than me. I'm legally blind. She has records of Baker Action. I mean, she has a long record of violence. There was no way for me to detain her. No way."
Carrillo confirmed some of the police report, that her child was in the Tampa area, but Carrillo didn't have an exact address.
The arresting officer wrote, "Due to the fact the suspect was not providing adequate information regarding the whereabouts of her (redacted) I advised her that she was now being detained and investigated for child neglect."
The Department of Children and Families now has taken her two younger daughters, ages 12 and 7, according to Carrillo.
"Why they took the other two, I don't know why, because I take care of my babies," Carrillo said. "I'm legally blind, and I get disability and I get cash assistance and I get food stamps. I mean, I'm not like the wealthiest mom, but they get things they need. They have a dad that gives me money too."
Often, DCF can't discuss details of a case. But the agency's spokesman John Harrell confirmed to News4Jax that the two younger siblings of the missing teen are in protective custody.
Harrell said the children are safe, and DCF is working to help them.
When asked why DCF took the younger children from Carrillo, Harrell wouldn't go into details, but said a couple of things that seem important.
"We prefer to keep children with their parents, but if it's clear they are in danger, we've got to take them," Harrell said. "That's not a decision we make lightly."
Harrell also told News4Jax several times they would only be removed from a home if investigators had evidence of abuse or neglect, or danger to the children.