Kids Placed in State's Custody After Mother Allegedly Speeds Through School Zone, Rams Police Car

A Florida judge decided on Tuesday to place two children in the state’s custody after their mother was arrested for speeding through a school zone and ramming into a police cruiser with the kids unsecured in the car.

On Monday officers pulled over 24-year-old Jessica Freelove in front of Riverland Elementary School, where she allegedly resisted the traffic citation. Police said that when they tried to stop Freelove for speeding in the school zone and for driving with her children's seatbelts unsecured, she took off and rammed the officer's car.

"Her response was, I don't have time for this, and then she forced her way to get away from the officers," said Fort Lauderdale Police spokeswoman Det. DeAnna Greenlaw said, adding, "This in particular was a little more shocking for our officers because there are two small children in the back seat of the vehicle who were potentially put in harm by their mother."

Freelove wanted her mother, Juliette Snell to have temporary custody of her children, but Broward Judge Kenneth Gillespie opted against that, citing the grandmother’s criminal record

Freelove's tears rolled past the three stars tattooed on her cheek during the dependency hearing.

"I don't think it's fair for them to have to take my grandchildrens out of the home where they was raised at and to use my background, something that happened 15 or 20 years ago and take my children out of the home," Snell said.

The judge ruled that Snell's criminal record was too extensive, her issues with the Department of Children and Families too deep, to grant her temporary custody of the children. So now DCF has the children in its custody.

Freelove's family members came to the hearing to support her.

"You never know what happened out there, we weren't there," said Freelove's cousin, who would not give her name.

Another anonymous relative said, "Maybe she got confused, I believe she was just in fright."

Freelove is expected to bond out of jail, uncertain about her future and that of her children as well.

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