On Friday, April 4th, authorities received a report concerning a girl and her dog wandering alone in Deltona, Florida.
A local resident noticed the girl and her pet and decided to contact the police for assistance.
The girl, who identified herself as six years old, approached the woman’s home. She expressed that she was feeling “hot, thirsty, and hungry,” prompting the compassionate resident to provide her with food, water, and clean clothing.
Upon the deputies’ arrival, Deltona Fire Rescue also responded to ensure the child’s well-being and health.
In a Facebook post, law enforcement described the situation: “Around 4:30 p.m. Friday, deputies responded to a home near Vann Park in Deltona, where a woman saw a 6-year-old child and her dog wandering in her front yard, then found her sitting in a chair in her carport.”
The post continued: “Responding deputies learned the girl’s mom and mom’s boyfriend dropped her off in the area in the morning. They also learned she was homeless and does not attend school.
“The little girl was taken to the Volusia Family Resource Center (VFRC), where her grandparents were identified and contacted to take custody.
“The VFRC is a full-scale assessment center that offers high-quality social services to juveniles and their families, and connects them with available resources and assistance.”
The following video contains strong language and some potentially distressing footage:
Police shared bodycam footage of the officers’ interaction with the young girl, who was thrilled about riding in a police car.
A poignant moment occurred when an officer inquired if her parents mentioned when they would return after taking her to the park, to which she replied no.
The child also informed the deputy she was not attending school, despite being of school age.
Additional bodycam footage captured the encounter when police located the girl’s mother and her boyfriend early on Saturday morning, April 5th.
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“We’re homeless and we live in the forest,” the girl’s mother explained. “She got out of where she was at.”
“I was trying to get water,” she further stated.
As a result, the mother and her boyfriend are now facing charges of child desertion and animal abandonment.