Child Reported Missing Found In Daycare, Mother Arrested
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HOMESTEAD (CBSMiami) – A 5-year-old girl believed to be missing from her Homestead apartment was returned home safely Tuesday afternoon after hours of searching.
Her mother faces a child abuse charge as a result of the ordeal.
Turns out, the child was at daycare all along, police said.
"Yay! Thank you Jesus," Annie Pearson exclaimed when she learned her granddaughter was safe and sound.
Dozens of officers were called in to canvas the area near Southwest 14th Avenue around the Coral Gardens apartment complex.
A police chopper, a mobile incident command center, and K-9s were utilized.
At one point, divers were even prepared to search a nearby lake.
"As you can see today, many resources were brought out today to search for a child, which we still would do in any particular case," Det. Fernando Morales said.
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The mother, Geneva Pearson, told police she hadn't seen her daughter since 9:30 a.m., but didn't call the cops until 1 p.m.
At around 5 o'clock, the daycare bus driver dropped her off at home.
Relatives say the girl normally gets on the bus on her own each day, but her mother told police she thought the daycare was closed Tuesday.
"She went out this morning and I guess she heard the horn and walked out by herself," said Isaiah Hall, the child's uncle.
At around 5 p.m., the bus driver dropped the girl off at home, as usual.
Geneva Pearson, was questioned and eventually arrested on a child neglect charge.
"Far as I'm concerned, she's incoherent," Annie Pearson said of her daughter. "She on her whatever trip she's on. She's still trippin'."
"As a parent you're left with the responsibility of knowing where your child is at all times," Det. Morales said. "You're responsible for that child and the law says if you fail to be responsible for that child, you could face child neglect charges."
The Department of Children and Families has been contacted.
We're still waiting to learn whether the agency has a history with this family.
"Every mother should know where their child is. From a baby on up," Annie Pearson said. "I have never been that irresponsible not to know where my child is. And whatever happened to her, Merry Christmas to her because she deserves it."
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