Police: Mom Punches DCF Worker, Disappears With Kids
MIAMI (CBS4) - A Miami woman is on the run after she allegedly assaulted a social services worker who was trying to take her five children into state custody.
According to the Department of Children and Families case worker Lovern Alleyne-Babb and a co-worker went to a home in the 400 block of NW 6th Street on Friday, April 8th, with orders to remove Caneema Atkins five kids.
Atkins, 23, let the DCF workers in and then, according to police, lunged at Alleyne-Babb, punched her in the nose and stomped on her eyeglasses.
"Unfortunately, this is something that our investigators face every day. They walk into these houses, they don't have a badge, they don't have a gun, they have their ID. They come into situations which may be dangerous," said Lissette Valdes-Valle, a spokesperson for DCF.
After the attack, police said Atkins grabbed the children and left. The missing children are twins Brooklyn & Kaitlyn Dennis, 2, Saniya Eliott, 4, and Tre'Mari Dennis, 3 and 1 month old, Cyrieh Byrd.
Police would like to find the children and Atkins, who they consider to be dangerous.
"We feel these children are in danger because this mother became enraged when this caseworker went to the home and started beating up on this woman who was just doing her job and looking out for the well being of all these children," said Miami Police spokeswoman Kenia Reyes.
DCF says they contacted police immediately after the incident.
"We contacted police right away. That's the procedure, we work with the police department," said Valdes-Valle.
Sources close to the investigation told CBS4's Gary Nelson 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. She described Caneema as a good mother who had a quick temper and hoped that she would turn herself in to police.
Anyone with information is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.
