ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — The former public information officer for the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, charged with child interference following an Amber Alert, has been arrested again.
Former sergeant Catherine Payne is being held without bond at the St. Johns County Jail, according to online records. She is being held on a charge of family offense.
St. Johns County felony court told Action News Payne violated her GPS order and her bond has been revoked.
Authorities said Payne tried to pick her son up from Crookshank Elementary School Wednesday morning.
Phillip Payne has custody of their son. He told Action News Catherine Payne is mentally unstable and can't care for their child by herself, and that he never thought the problem would get to this level.
"Hopefully she'll get some treatment and get back to where she can keep him and be the mom that he knows and loves," said Phillip Payne.
Payne and his attorney blame social media for some of her problems.
"Those so-called friends on Facebook that keep feeding her fire and it's my opinion it's part of the reason she did what she did this morning," said Brandon Beardsley, Phillip Payne's attorney. "They're hurting her, they're not helping her," said Beardsley.
The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office said Catherine Payne will ultimately be held in the Nassau County Jail.
Fernandina Beach police officers arrested Payne last week following an Amber Alert for her son. She said she took him there to dinner.
The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office terminated Payne earlier this week after she failed to appear at a disciplinary meeting at the Sheriff's Office.
WJAX
