A 30-year-old Tallahassee woman, Jamie Jakes, was arrested on six counts of child neglect after police discovered six children alone inside a residence early Sunday morning, according to police and court records.
The investigation began around 3:10 a.m. when officers on patrol saw a vehicle swerve to avoid hitting a child who was walking in the roadway near Lake Bradford Road. Officers made contact with the child and helped return the child to the residence.
That is when they discovered that the child was not the only one who appeared to be without adult supervision.
Police said three children were found outside the home, with one wearing only pants and two wearing soiled diapers. The children were able to lead officers to their residence and allow them inside.
Once inside, officers found three additional children sleeping together on a bed. According to the arrest documents, the children had no clothes on.
Officers said they attempted to locate clothing for the children but found only shoes and pieces of clothing. Other clothing in the residence was reportedly wet and smelled of mildew.
Officers Describe Home as Unlivable
The condition of the residence became a major part of the investigation.
Police reported finding feces and urine on the floor, along with diapers, trash and spoiled food throughout the home. Officers also reported that the refrigerator did not contain edible food. The freezer reportedly contained freezer-burned food and bugs.
The children also told officers they were hungry and could not say when they had last eaten, according to an arrest report cited in local reporting.
At the time officers entered the home, no adult was present.
One of the children told police that Jakes had left for a store roughly two hours earlier. Officers later encountered Jakes when she returned to the residence at about 6 a.m.
Woman Said Someone Was Supposed to Watch the Children
During questioning, Jakes reportedly told investigators that she paid an acquaintance $150 a week to check on the children several times between Thursday and Sunday.
She also told officers that she kept food at the acquaintance’s home because she said the children might otherwise eat or waste it.
The person Jakes identified as the caregiver gave investigators a different account. Police said the acquaintance denied being paid to watch the children and said he was not responsible for them, although he sometimes helped when he could.
Jakes also reportedly told officers that the residence had been clean the previous day. Investigators said the condition they found inside the home did not support that claim.
Based on witness statements, police believe the children may have been left without proper supervision beginning around 5 p.m. the previous day. The arrest documents indicate that another individual’s name was redacted from the records.
Jakes Faces Six Child Neglect Charges
Jakes was taken into custody and charged with six counts of child neglect without great bodily harm. She later received pretrial release.
Local reporting also indicates that the Florida Department of Children and Families is investigating the circumstances involving the children.
The case remains under investigation, and the court proceedings are ongoing. An upcoming court date was not listed in the latest information available.
The discovery came only because officers first encountered one child in danger on the roadway. What began as a traffic-safety concern ultimately led police to the other five children and prompted a broader investigation into the conditions inside the home.
