Oh Florida, never change.
In a story that somehow manages to be both heartbreaking and peak Florida, a 6-year-old girl and her dog were found abandoned in a Deltona front yard because—wait for it—her mom and boyfriend needed to charge their phones.
That’s right. While most parents might, I don’t know, take their child with them to the nearest outlet, these two apparently decided the park was a great place to leave a kindergartener unattended.
The Situation:
A concerned woman found the little girl and her pup wandering around her yard, looking “hot, thirsty, and hungry.” (So, basically, how we all feel after five minutes outside in Florida.) The good Samaritan and a neighbor stepped up, bringing the kid food, water, and clean clothes—because, thankfully, not everyone in Florida forgets basic human decency.
When first responders arrived, the girl explained that she’d been left at the park because “mommy and daddy needed to go charge their cell phones.” Priorities, am I right?
The Aftermath:
- The girl is now safe with her grandparents (who hopefully own a charger).
- The dog was taken to animal control (probably plotting its revenge).
- Mom and boyfriend were arrested and charged with desertion of a child and abandonment of an animal—because, apparently, leaving your kid and dog to fend for themselves is frowned upon.
Florida Lessons Learned Today:
- If your phone is dying, maybe don’t treat your child like an inconvenient backpack.
- Dogs are loyal, but they will snitch on you if left unsupervised.
- Florida Man (and Florida Mom) continue to redefine “bad decision-making.”
And that’s your daily dose of Only in Florida—where the parenting fails are strong, but the mugshots are stronger.