Search continues for 5-year-old Detroit girl taken by mother

Girl taken from school Monday by mom who does not have custody

DETROIT – Zoie Jackson remains a missing 5-year-old girl, two days after her mother, who does not have custody, picked up the girl at her Detroit school.

Zoie's father says the girl's mother is not authorized to have custody. However, on Monday, Carmela Jackson went to the Detroit Community School and picked up Zoie.

Some have questioned why the school allowed Zoie to leave with Carmela Jackson.

Wendy Senkveil, the school's principal, said  if there was a court order prohibiting Carmela Jackson from taking her daughter, the school had not seen it.

"We have nothing, we have not been given anything that says that at all, we have no court that says the opposite. We do have a court order saying that the mom is allowed to get her. Zoie saw her mom and ran to her mom," Senkveil said.

The campus of Detroit Community Schools is secure, with gates on the campus entries and locks on every door.

The family says that Carmela Jackson has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. While they do not think Jackson would hurt Zoie, they remain concerned about the girl's safe return.

Carmela Jackson was last seen driving a black 2002 Lexus crossover vehicle, with a Michigan license plate of CMR 0252.

Relatives say Carmela Jackson may have been heading out of state.  They have mentioned Elkhart, Indiana as a possible destination.