Florida Mom Accused of Faking Autistic Daughter's Disappearance
Authorities allege a mother reported her daughter missing after arranging for the teen to stay with a friend.
A Florida mother has been accused of falsely reporting her autistic daughter missing, according to the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office. Tina Marie Melvin, 54, told deputies that her 18-year-old daughter had removed her tracking bracelet and vanished.
The sheriff's office stated that the daughter is enrolled in their Livesaver program, which assists law enforcement in locating individuals with cognitive disabilities who may wander. Deputies initiated an extensive search following Melvin's report.
During the investigation, authorities reportedly discovered that Melvin had asked a family friend, who was unaware of any plot, to pick up her daughter before the father's arrival. Police stated that Melvin had removed her daughter's tracking bracelet, handed her over to the friend, and then reported her missing.
Once investigators uncovered the alleged deception, Melvin reportedly admitted to lying about her daughter's disappearance. She was arrested and charged with providing false information to law enforcement during a missing person investigation, classified as a first-degree misdemeanor. Information regarding legal representation for Melvin was not immediately available.