Mom Who Allegedly Assaulted DCF Worker Released
MIAMI (CBS4) – A Miami mother who went on the run after she allegedly assaulted a Department of Children and Families case worker was released from court Friday afternoon because there is no arrest warrant for her.
On the way out of court, Caneema Atkins told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "Everything's going to be squashed. All the allegations. That's all they are. My kids are good. They are in good shape. I am going to fight to get them back. Because I love those kids just every mother does. I am not worried. They made me look like a monster. But that's not so."
When D'Oench asked her where she had been for the past week, she said, "Where were you?"
When he asked her if she hit the DCF case worker, she responded, "Did you hit her?"
The case started last Friday when DCF worker Loveryn Alleyne-Babb and a co-worker went to the home of Caneema Atkins. The DCF workers were there to remove Atkins' five kids.
Atkins let the DCF worker in and then, according to police, lunged at Alleyne-Babb, punched her in the nose, and stomped her eyeglasses.
At that point, police said Atkins grabbed her children, ranging from 1-month-old to 4-years-old and went on the run.
Sources close to the investigation told CBS4 that the state determined the kids needed to be taken into protective custody after it received an abuse hotline call about Atkins and the kids.
The caller claimed they were homeless and Atkins was refusing help and refusing to go to a shelter, according to sources.
Atkins' grandmother said it was Caneema's boyfriend who made the call to DCF.
The mother and father were both in court Friday along with other relatives.
The children were kept away from the courtroom and are currently in DCF custody.
The children have been placed in the temporary of the mother's relatives. There will be another hearing on April 26th.
Atkins was questioned by Police and released. Chares are pending because detectives must still speak with the DCF case worker.
She told D'Oench that she was happy the children were safe and wanted to put this episode behind her and hoped it would never happen to her again.
On Friday night, police released the 911 calls in which the DCF worker asked for help from Police. On the tape, you heard her telling a dispatcher, "I need a police officer out here ASAP. She struck me and I need an officer because she's leaving with the children.She hit me in the face."
Another caller to 911 identifying himself as Atkins's uncle says, "My little niece has slapped the lady and you know you all need to come and settle the problem."
