A 50-year-old woman from Florida was arrested on four counts of child neglect after traveling to Las Vegas for work, leaving her four children aged 9 to 14 home alone. The case emerged when one child called 911 to report that his 9-year-old brother was injured after a dumbbell fell on his head. Authorities stated that none of the children had proper adult supervision, while the mother claimed she had a nanny to help care for the children before and after school but did not arrange for overnight care at the home.
Irene Miller, a 50-year-old professional photographer from Florida, USA, was arrested and charged with four counts of child neglect after traveling to Las Vegas, Nevada, leaving her four children aged 9, 11, 12, and 14 home alone in Kissimmee, Florida.
The Osceola County Office revealed that on 21 Oct, a child called emergency number 911 to report that his 9-year-old brother had been injured when a dumbbell fell on his head. Responding officers arrived at the residence and found all four children without adult supervision.
The 9-year-old boy was taken to hospital for treatment and was later cleared to return home. Officials did not disclose detailed information about the injury but said it was not severe or life-threatening.
During the investigation, authorities contacted Miller by phone and learned that she had been working in Las Vegas since 18 Oct and planned to return to Florida on 23 Oct.
Miller told officials that she arranged for a nanny to come from Tampa in the mornings to help get the children ready for school and return in the afternoons to check on them. However, she admitted she did not arrange for the nanny to stay overnight with the four children.
Kissimmee is located near Orlando and about 70 miles (approximately 113 kilometers) east of Tampa.
After the incident, officials contacted the children's father, who took custody of the four children at his home. Meanwhile, county investigators went to meet Miller at the Florida airport when her flight from Las Vegas landed on the morning of Friday, 23 Oct. Body camera footage showed her being detained and handcuffed.
Miller was charged with four counts of child neglect—charges that did not involve serious injury according to case details—and was booked at Orange County Jail. However, jail records checked by U.S. media on Monday indicated she was no longer in custody.
Chris Blackmon, Osceola County Sheriff, stated in a press release that the sheriff’s office will not tolerate child neglect and will investigate such cases thoroughly, prosecuting guardians who fail to provide proper care or supervision.
. . .NBC News/New York Post