Florida photographer arrested after children left unsupervised, one injured by falling dumbbell
Irene Miller was taken into custody after a 911 call reported her 9-year-old brother was hit by a falling dumbbell while she was away on a work trip.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from a child reporting that a falling dumbbell struck the head of a 9-year-old boy in Kissimmee, Florida. Deputies arrived to find four children, ages 9, 11, 12 and 14, left alone while their mother, 50-year-old photographer Irene Miller, was on a work assignment in Las Vegas that began on October 18 and was set to last five days. The injured child was taken to a hospital, treated and released.
Miller told officers a babysitter was scheduled to look after the kids before and after school but would not stay overnight. The children’s father was later contacted and assumed custody of the minors. Police escorted Miller to a Florida airport, handcuffed her as her plane touched down, and booked her on four counts of child neglect without great bodily harm at Orange County Jail. Sheriff Chris Blackmon emphasized that neglect cases will be pursued vigorously.
Why it matters
The case highlights legal consequences for parents who leave minors unsupervised, raising concerns about child safety.
In this story
