VERO BEACH, FL– The parents of a 4-year-old are facing charges after their daughter was found wandering a neighborhood naked and alone.
The Vero Beach Police Department says they received a call about the child around 1:15 p.m. Wednesday in the 2200 block of 18th Street.
When authorities arrived to the area, neighbors were able to lead them to where they believed the child originated from.
When they knocked on the door, a man and a woman confirmed that the child was theirs.
The parents told authorities that they put the child down for a nap but she must have escaped through a window.
While talking to the family, the officers noticed an unpleasant smell coming from the home:
“Officers and detectives on scene were able to smell strong odors of urine and feces coming from within the residence. Officers were able to observe trash covering the living areas, kitchen, and bedrooms and feces on the walls through the front entrance and the windows of the residence.”
The officers contact the Florida Department of Children and Families to come out and investigate the home.
Officials found that the home was “hazardous to anyone living there:”
“Mattresses that the children slept on were soiled and there was fecal matter on the floors. The kitchen of the residence was covered in dirt and dirty dishes. The inside of the refrigerator was covered in mold and it appeared to have no edible food,” police said.
The parents were arrested and face two charges each of child neglect, police said.
The 4-year-old and the couple’s 9-year-old sister were taken into DCF custody.