JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The grandmother of two children has been charged with child neglect after they were taken by their mother who escaped a mental health facility Monday night.
Police said Juanita Coakley was charged with child neglect after she let Sharmeka Jackson take her children after Jackson was placed under the Baker Act and escaped a mental health facility.
Police sent out a missing children alert around 10:30 p.m. Monday after learning Jackson took the children. While at the facility, Jackson said she would harm them.
Jackson and her two children, 6 and 2, were later found at Jackson's brother's house on Myra Street.
Jackson was taken into custody and the children were given to acquaintances of the family. Jackson was charged with escape from involuntary commitment in mental health program and false alarm of a fire.
Coakley said she should have called police when Jackson took the children but thought Jackson's brother was going to call.
Coakley said she knew Jackson was a threat to herself and possibly her children because she was recently committed. Jackson was committed after police found her and the children near the river, and were about to enter the water. Police prevented them from getting into the river.
Coakley told police after the officer placed the children into her care that she planned to transfer custody to Jackson's brother because she "did not want to deal with them."
Jackson had stated in the previous Baker Act that she wanted her brother to have custody of the children.
Cox Media Group
