Florida – Florida authorities arrested parent and her partner on charges of desertion of a chiId and abandonment of an animaI. The arrests followed the abandonment of the woman’s child and the family’s pet last week.
Around 4:30 p.m. on April 4, a neighbor contacted the Sheriff’s Office after finding the young child and her pet in her yard. The child appeared very thirsty and hungry. While awaiting deputies, the neighbor provided food, water, toys, and clean clothes to the girl.
Upon arrival, deputies engaged the 6-year-old child, who mentioned her mother, and stated that her parents had to go somewhere” to charge their cell phones. She also revealed she did not attend school and described their living conditions as a leaky home, often walking to stores alone.
Medical personnel assessed the girl at the scene and found her vital signs to be stable. She was subsequently transported to the family resource center, where her grandparents were contacted and took custody of her. The animaI was placed under the care of the animal control.
After an extensive search, deputies located 27-year-old Aquana and her 29-year-old partner Petrez at approximately 1 a.m. on April 5, residing in two tents in a wooded area. The parent explained they were homeless and had left their daughter temporarily to obtain food and water. Both were arrested and charged with desertion of a child and abandonment of an animal, each held on a $51,000 bond.
The 27-year-old parent also explained that they were homeless and living in the forest. The mother told deputies that the child had gotten out from where she was staying, explaining that she had been trying to get water and food for the family, as they had been going through a rough time. Deputies later discovered the area where the family had been living, which consisted of two tents in the woods.
The Sheriff’s Office emphasized the severity of the situation, highlighting the risks posed by leaving a young child unattended. The department’s release underscored the commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of all community members.