Mother Detained at Airport for Leaving Children Alone During Vegas Trip, Deputies Report

A mother from Kissimmee, Irene Miller, is facing several charges of child neglect after it was reported that she left her four children unattended at home for five days while she traveled to Las Vegas. The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office details that a juvenile called 911 when a 9-year-old boy was injured by a falling dumbbell at their residence on Parkway Boulevard.

When law enforcement arrived, they discovered the children—ages 9, 11, 12, and 14—at home without an adult present. The injured child was taken to a hospital for treatment and later discharged. During the investigation, Miller informed deputies that she had departed for Las Vegas on October 18 and expected to return that Friday. She claimed a babysitter would come from Tampa each morning to prepare the children for school and check on them in the afternoon, but did not stay overnight. After arriving back in Florida, Miller was arrested and charged with four counts of child neglect without great bodily harm; she was booked into the Orange County Jail. Sheriff Chris Blackmon stated that the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office is committed to addressing child neglect cases.