Florida Mom Arrested After Children Left Home Alone for Days, One Injured

A Florida mother has been arrested for allegedly leaving her four young children unsupervised for several days while she traveled for a work trip to Las Vegas. The alleged abandonment came to light after one of the children called 911 reporting that their 9-year-old sibling had been struck in the head by a falling dumbbell.

Irene Miller, 50, of Kissimmee, Florida, was taken into custody upon her return flight to Florida, according to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies arrived at the home to find four children, aged 9, 11, 12, and 14, without adult supervision. The 9-year-old who was injured was transported to a local hospital, treated, and subsequently released.

Investigators reportedly contacted Miller by phone and learned that she had departed for her trip on October 18 and planned to return five days later. Miller, who identifies as a professional photographer, appeared to be working with a client in Las Vegas associated with the real estate brokerage franchise Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, based on her social media activity.

Miller told deputies that she had arranged for a babysitter to care for her children before and after school during her absence, but indicated that the babysitter was not required to stay overnight. The children’s father was contacted by authorities and took custody of the four children.

Bodycam footage released by the sheriff's office shows Miller being escorted and handcuffed as her plane landed at a Florida airport on Friday. She has been booked into the Orange County Jail and faces four counts of child neglect without great bodily harm.

Osceola County Sheriff Chris Blackmon stated, "The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office will not tolerate child neglect. These cases will be investigated, and charges will be brought against the parents who are not properly supervising or caring for their children."