Woman accused of leaving teen behind during move

By CARY DAVIS

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 9, 2000

ZEPHYRHILLS -- A 37-year-old Zephyrhills woman was arrested on child neglect charges this week after she allegedly abandoned a teenage boy and moved to the Florida Keys, the Pasco County Sheriff's Office reported.

According to reports, Linda Jean Hamaker, 8046 Opal Lane, did not leave any money for the 16-year-old boy or make any arrangements for his supervision when she loaded her belongings and several children into her car June 1 and drove to the Keys.

All she left was a note on the door informing the 16-year-old that she had moved to the Keys, reports said.

The Sheriff's Office did not release the boy's name or his relation to Hamaker. Nor did the agency elaborate on the relationship between Hamaker and the children she took with her. The names and ages of those children also were withheld.

Hamaker told deputies that she discussed the move with the boy and he said he didn't want to go. She said she probably would have returned to Zephyrhills at some point to check on him.

The boy, however, said Hamaker told him nothing about the move, according to reports. He said he was shocked to learn she had abandoned him.

A man who answered the phone at Hamaker's Zephyrhills home Thursday disputed the charges, saying the teen was never neglected.

"He was here, and I took care of him," said Warren Wood, who did not reveal his relationship to Hamaker and hung up the phone when pressed for details.

Deputies arrested Hamaker at her house on Opal Lane on Tuesday, although it was not clear why she had returned. She was booked into the county jail in Land O'Lakes and released on her own recognizance.

A sheriff's spokesman did not know whether the 16-year-old or the other children were placed into state custody after Hamaker was arrested. Officials at the Pasco/Pinellas office of the state Department of Children and Families could not be reached for comment.

According to reports, deputies previously visited Hamaker's house in April and photographed the residence. The Sheriff's Office did not disclose the reason for the April visit.

In May, reports said, the electricity in Hamaker's house was turned off because she could not pay the bill. The electricity eventually was turned back on after Children and Families paid the delinquent bill.

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