Lake Worth woman jailed after teen not reported missing for 6 days
A suburban Lake Worth woman allegedly waited six days to contact law enforcement about a missing 15-yearold, Palm B e ac h Count y Sheriffff ’s Offiffice records show.
Adailla Maldonaldo, 41, was arrested Wednesday on a child neglect charge after reportedly failing to make a report “within a reasonable time to protect the teen) from abuse, neglect or dangerous exposure from another person,” records state. She was released the n ext d ay f ro m t h e P a l m Beach Count y Jail on her own recognizance.
The teen skipped school March 29 — a Wednesday — to throw a party at their home just west of the city limits, east of Palm Springs, sheriffff ’s records show. Maldonaldo, the teen’s caregiver, unexpectedly crashed the party shortly before 45 a.m.
Maldonaldo c alled the sheriffff ’s offiffice, she said, but offifficials allegedly told her they couldn’t do anything. The teen ran away from the home later that day.
Maldonaldo didn’t report the teen missing until Tuesday — six days after she had last seen the teenager. Maldonaldo told sheriffff ’s offifficials she thought a report was fifiled March 29 and when she learned one hadn’t been, she “immediately” fifiled a report.
Maldonaldo said she has filed a report every other time the teen has run away. Each time the teen returned home within two to three days, Maldonaldo said.
From March 29 through April 3, Maldonaldo was unsure where exactly the teenager was. Sheriffff ’s offifficials deemed that Maldonaldo failed to provide shelter, medical attention and food to the teenager during that time.