A couple was arrested for neglect after their five children were found alone and hungry at home while they dined out.
Miami: So, there’s this wild story from Florida. A couple, Sanel Canovic and Azra Nikocevic, got arrested after their five kids were found alone at home. The kids were hungry and had no food, electricity, or even a working toilet. Can you believe that?
It all went down on New Year’s Eve. The police got a call about a 6-year-old boy wandering the streets by himself. A witness noticed he looked a bit scruffy and was still in his school uniform. Poor kid! He led the officers back to their apartment, where his siblings were waiting.
The kids told the police they hadn’t eaten in over 12 hours. The oldest girl mentioned they usually ate at school, but with the holidays, they were out of luck. She said their mom sometimes left them $20 for food, but they had no way to reach her.
When the police checked the place out, it was a mess. The toilet was overflowing, and the kids had to use rags because there was no toilet paper. Just imagine that! The affidavit even said the parents often went out to dinner while leaving the kids behind.
While the officers were looking for the parents, the kids got some food at the station. But the parents? They were nowhere to be found at first. Eventually, they were tracked down and charged with child neglect.
Nikocevic later told the news that the electricity had been off for over a month and the toilet was clogged. She promised to fix everything but denied that the kids ever went to bed hungry. She did admit to sometimes denying them fast food, though.
She mentioned she was trying to get food stamps because of her low pay at work and admitted she had been focusing more on her job than on the kids. It’s a tough situation, but she really needs to prioritize her children.
Police called it a heartbreaking case and reminded everyone to report any kids seen alone. Thankfully, that witness did the right thing, and the kids got some food.
