According to two recent Dakota County Criminal Complaints here and , a husband and wife are charged with child neglect after one of their children was found out in the street after midnight by a neighbor and who eventually led police into the home and to the bedrooms of their two sleeping siblings. The parents were no where to be found.
From the complaint:
On Thursday, November 3, 2011 at approximately 12:08 a.m., RW dialed 911 and reported that while she was walking her dog in the neighborhood she came across a small boy standing at the end of a driveway who appeared to be about two years old. She asked where his parents were and the boy responded, “All gone”. She followed the boy into the home and could not locate an adult. The residence was located in the City of Inver Grove Heights, Dakota County, Minnesota. Police responded and located IMC, age three. IMC showed the officers his sleeping brother, CMC, age five. IMC informed the officers that CMC had the “spirit” of a two-year-old and was autistic. IMC also showed the officers his sleeping brother, GNE, age nine. GNE told officers he thought his parents were sleeping, and had not known that they were gone. The residence was cluttered and dirty and had a distinct sour odor. GNE assisted officers in locating a phone number for his biological father, who was contacted and was able to identify the mother of the boys, and the father of the two younger boys.
[...]
The parents returned home and advised that they had hired a “Sarah” whose last name they did not know, to babysit, and she must have left. The parents subsequently told child protection that they had not hired a babysitter and had left the children alone. They also advised that when they received the call that police were at their residence they had been in Rush City, more than an hour away from their residence.
Are you surprised that the ‘parents’ were only charged with a gross misdemeanor for their decision to leave three young children home alone, in the middle of the night, while they trekked an hour away? Do you think that this was the first time the ‘parents’ have done something like this or do you believe it was only the first time they were caught? Whatever you have to say about this one go ahead and comment on as I’d love to hear what you have to say.
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March 13th, 2012 at 8:05 am
I can make no sense of this. What is supposedly happening in the minds of these ‘parents’ doesn’t register with me. I feel something, for sure, but I don’t think it can be conveyed with the written word.
The “cluttered and dirty and had a distinct sour odor” report also tells volumes.
These poor kids.
March 13th, 2012 at 8:24 am
I’m sure this isn’t the 1st time they have done this just the 1st time they have been caught. Unfortunately, I think this sort of thing happens a lot more often than we can imagine.
March 13th, 2012 at 8:31 am
Nothing pisses me off more than child abuse, neglect, endangerment. Some people should not be allowed to parent. Child protection services needs to get tough on folks such as these in this post. I don’t want to hear about missed signs when this escalates to one of these kids being physically harmed. Stories like this ruin my week.
March 13th, 2012 at 8:35 am
I think the strangest part of this article is the part where they went to Rush City.
I would sort of understand Red Wing or Shakopee (not justify, but understand), but Rush City? This is a city of 3000 people. I can only assume they were at a bar at midnight as there can’t be much else to do at that time. I suppose doing drugs at a friend’s house is another likely scenario. Whatever the reality is, there is no way it is a good one. What a couple of shitbags.
If I were the father of the older child, I would have that chick’s ass in court tomorrow demanding custody of my kid. It’s a shame there can’t be more done at this time for the younger ones, as it seems. I am not sure what level of crime it needs to be before the state can step in and remove children, but this crime charged should be a good place to start.
This was 4 months ago. I wonder if there have been more developments.
March 13th, 2012 at 8:43 am
lefty, it happened four months ago but the complaint was just published online yesterday. I’m guessing it’s up-to-date.
March 13th, 2012 at 10:29 am
This is incredibly sad and troubling. Every child deserves better.
March 13th, 2012 at 11:33 am
“Are you surprised that the ‘parents’ were only charged with a gross misdemeanor for their decision to leave three young children home alone, in the middle of the night, while they trekked an hour away?”
What else should they have been charged with? A Gross Misdemeanor is pretty serious. And I am not defending the parents here..
March 13th, 2012 at 11:36 am
The 9 year old is sort of no big deal. Legally a nine year old can be left home for 2 hours by themselves. And a 10 year old up to 12 hours.
But yeah, shitty parenting there.
March 13th, 2012 at 11:44 am
Kassie, unless they drove right to Rush City and right back it’s unlikely they were gone only two hours.
March 13th, 2012 at 12:13 pm
My immediate reaction was assuming they were on their way to the casino in Hinckley. I’ve heard of degenerate parents that leave their kids in cars, alone at home, in 24-hour daycare centers, etc. to go gamble.
My longer-term reaction was to say a little prayer for these kids. They certainly don’t seem to have a great foundation for success here. Awful.
March 13th, 2012 at 12:20 pm
Where does one find these “legal” times of how long people can leave their children unattended? And how old do they have to be to monitor other kids?
I can’t decide the worst part about this story: They left 3 young children at home for an extended period of time or that they have a 3 year old that would be wandering around outside at midnight.
March 13th, 2012 at 12:43 pm
In case it’s not bad enough…
The conditions, those which we both know and can extrapolate, are such that these kids still lived here instead of with Dad. Curiosity abounds about how all THAT came to be. hrrrmmmm
March 13th, 2012 at 12:46 pm
Bill, you owe us a happy post about food and/or booze. We’re all pretty fucking depressed here. ;)
(Although, I must confess to still being a little more tender recently about “kid issues.”)
March 13th, 2012 at 12:50 pm
I just had a nice post about pizza and beer yesterday. Guess which one was better received ;) You’re all a bunch of fucking downers man ;)
March 13th, 2012 at 12:52 pm
I have celiac disease, you insensitive clod!
heheh
March 13th, 2012 at 1:21 pm
Great comeback Jorn!
March 13th, 2012 at 4:39 pm
“Where does one find these “legal” times of how long people can leave their children unattended? And how old do they have to be to monitor other kids?”
Ummm, the internet.
And I guess it isn’t legally defined, but it is what Dakota County uses as a guide, so actually the 9 year old, if very mature, could be left home alone for 12 hours or more without issue.
http://www.co.dakota.mn.us/Departments/Attorney/FAQ/WhatAgeChildLeftHomeAloneHowLong.htm
March 13th, 2012 at 7:55 pm
the definition of a moron is gender non specific.
bb