An Ohio mother is in police custody in Florida after allegedly abandoning her three children at a welcome center. Tanya Perez, 44, reportedly stopped at the welcome center at the Georgia border in March 2023 with her children in tow. Employees claimed they noticed the family and had a brief conversation with the mother. Perez allegedly asked if she could leave the children for a moment, then never returned.
She reportedly left the kids – all under age 13 – with suitcases at the facility, WJXT4 reported. The children had no money or food and no adult supervision. But according to an arrest warrant obtained by the station, this wasn’t a complete surprise.
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Perez allegedly contacted her sister in Kissimmee, Florida.
According to court documents, the unnamed sister claimed she and Perez were estranged when she received a strange text from her sister on March 22, 2023. Perez allegedly told her she and her children, ages 9, 10, and 12, were traveling from Ohio to Florida. Something about the conversation concerned the sister, who contacted the Nassau County sheriff’s office for help.
A deputy went to the welcome center for a wellness check.
Upon arrival, the deputy located Perez’ SUV and spoke with the mother and children. According to court documents, the deputy told Perez he was at the welcome center for a welfare check on her and asked if she intended to stay with her children until her sister arrived to take them. Perez allegedly agreed she would remain with her children until her sister arrived. Sadly, that’s not what happened.
Hours after the deputy left, the children sat at the welcome center alone.
Employees told WJXT4 that the children sat with their suitcases and had no adult supervision.
“She came in and talked to one of our representatives and asked if she could leave the kids. They would only be here for a few minutes,” a welcome center employee said.
Later that day, when no one showed up, the employees believed they had no choice but to contact authorities.
“We ended up calling the sheriff’s deputy, or some of the reps here did. You just felt so bad for them,” the employee said. “Nobody came for the kids. .. Here they are, these little kids, and there are bags, these suitcases, all by themselves. It was insane.”
Perez reportedly left her children in a dangerous place.
According to News4JAX crime and safety analyst Tom Hackney, the story could have had a much more tragic end. She left them with nothing in an area known for crime.
“What’s going on with this mom’s mind to leave her three children here on this very recognizable corridor that has been known for years as a hub for human trafficking,” Hackney questioned. “It’s one thing to abandon your kids, but it’s another thing to abandon them where they may become victims of something else.”
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It took police months to track down the mom.
A spokesperson from the Nassau County sheriff’s office told WJXT4 that it issued an arrest warrant for Perez immediately, but it took more than a year and a half to find her after the drove back to Ohio. According to online records, she was booked in Nassau County jail on three counts of child abuse. Her bond sits at $300,000 while she awaits her next court date.
