Mother arrested for ex-husband accusations

A Sarasota mother has been charged with making false claims that her ex-husband was endangering their 11-year-old son.

Lisa Ann Schinnow, 48, allegedly called the Division of Children and Families three times to report her ex-husband, who has sole custody of the boy.

The DCF hotline received an anonymous call from Schinnow’s phone, reporting that the boy was left home alone, while his father went to Alabama.

On June 21, a call was received from Schinnow’s daughter’s phone, reporting again that the boy was home alone and couldn’t care for himself.

Then on July 18, a woman called DCF to report that the boy’s father was using crack cocaine and had been for years. She also said the child had access to a loaded handgun.

The father voluntarily took a drug test, which he passed. The boy denies being left home alone.

The father identified the voice on the DCF calls as his ex-wife’s.

Schinnow has denied making the calls.

She is being held in the Sarasota County jail.

Update: Lisa Schinnow was acquitted of charges of making a fraudulent DCF report and false report of  a crime after a jury found her not guilty in May 2012.