A shocking new claim from a local group home administrator has added fuel to the growing fire over the disappearance of 14-year-old Jaylynn Harrell, who went missing from Self Reliance Group Homes Riverview South back in December.
According to the administrator, Portsmouth Police stopped accepting calls from the facility regarding runaway children—claiming the volume of reports was too high.
“In November 2022, we received a nuisance letter from the City Solicitor because the Police Chief complained about the number of runaway calls,” the administrator told SCDN. “They made it clear they didn’t want us calling anymore.”
That’s why, the administrator says, police weren’t contacted when Jaylynn vanished on December 28. Instead, the group home notified Children’s Protective Services (CPS), which the administrator says is the legally required first step under Ohio law—not calling police.
The group home claims CPS was informed within 15 minutes of Jaylynn going AWOL and that an official incident report was filed the next business day.
The administrator provided text messages from the child’s caseworker, instructing the facility to release her bed just days after she disappeared—effectively ending any payments for her care.
What’s more, the facility alleges the Portsmouth Police renewed complaints in Fall 2024, pressuring the group home to stop filing AWOL reports altogether.
“It’s shameful,” the administrator said. “We’re doing everything required by the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services. Protecting vulnerable kids is the job of everyone, including the police.”
According to a report that CPS made to PPD last week, they claimed that no report was filed until months after Jaylynn vanished—a claim the group home flatly denies, providing text messages and documentation to back it up.
Self Reliance Group Homes operates 3 group homes for children in Portsmouth with a total of 24 beds. According to the administrator, all beds are currently full.
With trust between agencies now strained, the question remains: When a child disappears, who’s supposed to pick up the phone?
Jaylynn Harrell is still listed as missing.
SCDN reached out to CPS for comment and clarification on this story. They have not yet responded.
