Mom forced son to panhandle, Osceola deputies say

Woman charged with contributing to delinquency of a minor

CELEBRATION, Fla. – Osceola County deputies arrested a woman they say made her 10-year-old son panhandle along a busy intersection, which forced him into traffic.

Lucica Anton has been charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor after deputies say she was spotted on Saturday night at the intersection of Celebration Avenue and Riley Road holding a sign asking for money.

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Deputies said they saw Anton put her hand on the child's back, guide him into traffic and pointing at the vehicles to tell the child to panhandle.

Deputies said they asked Anton what they were doing and she said, "I was trying to get money. We live in a hotel and need money." 

According to deputies, the boy said, "It's OK, my friend, I know what I'm doing. I do it all the time," according to the report. When deputies told Anton she shouldn't be using her son to get money, she became aggressive and said that her husband dropped her off to get money.

When deputies told the boy it was wrong for him to be asking for money, he said, "Yeah, but it's OK. I've done it before and my mom said it's OK."

The boy was turned over to his father and Anton was taken to the Osceola County jail.

The Department of Children and Families was contacted about the incident, deputies said.


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