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Brittany Messineo’s Daughter was absent 214 times in less than 3 years.
With a History of Meth, Ecstasy, and Fentanyl, It’s No Wonder the child is missing so much school.
In a tale straight out of Florida’s ever-colorful headlines, a 34-year-old Cocoa mom, Brittany Messineo, found herself in cuffs yet again—this time, not just for drugs, but for her daughter’s chronic absenteeism.
According to an arrest report from Brevard Public Schools, Messineo failed to ensure her daughter’s attendance at Fairglen Elementary School a staggering 33 times between January 23 and April 23.
Glenview Elementary is less than 500 feet from the picturesque Indian River Lagoon, with its serene, postcard-perfect views, might inspire a few more trips to the school drop-off lane.
But alas, it seems the beautiful surroundings were not enough to motivate Messineo to get her daughter to class.
Past Absences Read Like a Criminal Record
If you thought 33 missed days in one semester was bad, consider this: In the 2021-2022 school year, Messineo’s daughter missed a whopping 102 days. The following year, that number dropped to a still-troubling 79 unexcused absences.
While the trend shows improvement, the numbers don’t lie—attendance isn’t exactly this family’s strong suit.
More Felonies Than Field Trips
Unfortunately, chronic absenteeism isn’t the only thing weighing on Brittany Messineo’s shoulders. While being booked on September 18, 2024, she was arrested again, this time for fentanyl possession and introducing drugs into the Brevard County Jail. This is just the latest in a long list of drug-related run-ins with the law.
In 2021, she made headlines after being caught smuggling oxytocin into Brevard County Jail during an arrest. That same year, Messineo was picked up in Cape Canaveral with methamphetamine and ecstasy after leaving a notorious drug house. Her rap sheet has more plot twists than a Netflix true-crime series.
The Real Victim: A Child Caught in the Middle
As much as Brittany’s story is a cautionary tale of substance abuse and repeat arrests, it casts a long shadow over her daughter’s future. How does a child stand a chance when their primary caregiver has been in and out of jail at least 18 times since 2013?
It’s easy to make light of yet another “Florida Woman” headline, but the reality is much darker. With a mom entangled in a never-ending cycle of addiction and legal troubles, this child’s education is the least of her worries. The school might be less than 500 feet from the Indian River Lagoon, but it might as well be a thousand miles away from a normal childhood.
The question is: What will it take to break this cycle, and give this young girl the chance she so desperately needs?
In Florida, the weather’s sunny, but sometimes the stories are stormy.