Local

Jacksonville group home for teens shuts down

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville group home for teens has closed its doors for good.

A yellow two-story building sitting at the intersection of 63rd Street and Wakefield Avenue on Jacksonville's east side is now empty.

The group home that served teens facing juvenile charges shut down last month.

Action News Jax reporter Jamarlo Phillips called City Councilman Reggie Gaffney Wednesday, but he didn't know about the group home closing.

Neighbors say they knew the group home would close sooner rather than later.

"It sounds like poor management," said neighbor Carolyn Carter.

"As far as I'm concerned, I'm glad it's gone," neighbor Joe Cole said.

RELATED STORY: Teen in Jacksonville foster care facility says he was kidnapped, raped

TRENDING STORIES:

13-year-old girl shot, killed by 16-year-old boyfriend, police say 

Four dead, including St. Marys parents, 4-year-old son in head-on crash 

"I want to know really why it's closing," Hercules Johnson said.

Over the past nine years police were called to Panama Youth Services at least 1,800 times, responding to fights, burglaries and other crimes at the home.

Neighbors say actions of the teens who lived here and what looked like a lack of supervision could be to blame for it closing.

"I hope our city and community leadership gets involved and turn that around and give it more leadership and more determination," said Carter.

Action News Jax contacted DJJ, DCF and Family Support Services to find out why the group home closed and where the teens were taken. We will update this story as we get more details.

STAY UPDATED: Download the Action News Jax app for live updates on breaking stories

Download WJAX Apps