Central Florida mother arrested after daughter misses more than 200 days of school

Stream FOX 35 News

Cocoa, Florida. – A Central Florida mother has been arrested for allegedly allowing her child to miss hundreds of days of school over the past three years.

The Brevard County woman is now charged with refusing to require a parent to attend school, a second-degree misdemeanor that could result in 60 days in jail if convicted. She had her first court date on Thursday following her arrest.

According to court documents, the woman's child, who attends Fairglen Elementary in Cocoa, has missed 214 days of school over the past three school years. That includes 33 absences in just 90 days during the current school year. During the 2022-2023 school year, the child was absent without excuse 79 times and during the 2021-2022 school year, he was absent 102 days.

MORE STORIES:

Attorney Geoff Golub, who has worked on similar cases, says that in extreme cases, parents could also be accused of child neglect.

“If they intentionally prevent the child from going into a room, lock them up, or don't let them leave the house, that can amount to child neglect,” Golub explained. “Parents with substance abuse problems or those who neglect their responsibilities could face more serious charges.”

Golub pointed out possible defenses, such as parents making serious efforts to ensure their child attends school.

“If the child leaves home but does not go to school, that could be a problem, but at 10 years old you expect better control,” he added.

Florida law provides measures to combat chronic absenteeism, including requiring parents to attend school with their children or to take parenting classes. Employers cannot fire a parent who is required to attend school with their child, and doing so could result in jail time for the employer.

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: