A mother and father were arrested after their five children were found living in a dirty Miami Beach apartment that had no electricity, food, or working toilet. Police say Sanel Canovic, 40, and Azra Nikocevic, 33, face five counts of child neglect.
The situation came to light when a passerby saw their 6-year-old child crossing a busy street alone and called the police. Officers followed the child to the apartment, where they found the oldest sibling, a 12-year-old girl.
The police described the apartment as unclean and unsafe. There was no food, no electricity, and the toilet was not working. The children said they were hungry and had not eaten since the night before. They also mentioned that they hadn’t had electricity for about two months.
The 12-year-old told police that she was responsible for her younger siblings while their parents were at work. The children usually ate breakfast and lunch at school, and often went to bed hungry. Sometimes, their mother would leave them $20 for food, but they often didn’t get enough to eat.
When questioned, Nikocevic admitted that they had been without electricity for about six weeks because they were behind on their bills. She claimed she was trying to get food assistance but denied that they were being deprived of food.
Both parents were arrested and taken to jail, with a bond set at $2,500 each. Miami Beach Police emphasized the importance of reporting any concerns about children in unsafe situations, thanking the witness who alerted them to help the kids.
