What began as a welfare check for children locked out of their home quickly turned into a troubling investigation involving claims the kids had been left alone repeatedly for days.
Deputies were called after reports that three children had been dropped off from school and were unable to get inside their home, according to a report from the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office.
When officers arrived, they found the children outside and spoke with neighbors before contacting Lawrence County Child Protective Services.
Deputies then spoke with the children, who described being left home alone on multiple occasions.
According to the report, the children said their parents had left them by themselves for extended periods over the course of several days, sometimes not returning until evening or late at night.
The children also described being left notes with instructions, being told which doors were unlocked, and being left limited snacks while adults were gone.
On the day deputies responded, the children said all doors and windows were locked, leaving them unable to get inside after school.
One child also told deputies they avoided eating breakfast before school because it would “waste food” at home.
Child Protective Services workers responded to the scene and contacted a parent, who reportedly said they were about an hour away from the residence.
Deputies remained on scene while CPS handled the situation.
A copy of the report was forwarded to Child Protective Services for further review.
What began as kids waiting outside after school turned into a much bigger question — how often they had been left to fend for themselves.
