Courtesy of Orlando Sentinel:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-bk-foster-kids-alone-disney-072009,0,7765551.story?track=rss
A Michigan couple left their foster children, ages 2 and 4, alone in their Walt Disney World hotel room for two hours while they swam and tanned at the resort's pool Friday, deputies said.
Stephen Simmons, 49; and Kimberly Simmons, 41, were booked into the Orange County Jail on charges of child neglect. Each suspect paid a $2,000 bond Saturday and were released from jail.
Orange County sheriff's deputies said Kimberly Simmons, a counselor at a Michigan school, told them she has left the boy and girl unsupervised in the past. Deputies said neither foster parent seemed bothered by leaving the children alone.
Officials at the Department of Children and Families, who have custody of the children, said leaving a child unsupervised is a serious safety risk.
"In an environment like a home, a parent is expected to take a nap or shower, but they are still responsible for ensuring the child can't hurt themselves," DCF spokeswoman Carrie Hoeppner said. "In this situation and with a time delay of two hours, these children could have gotten out of the room or walked out of the hotel."
Hoeppner said family services officials from Michigan will be in Florida today to take custody of the boy and girl. Reports show the couple has been in custody of the children for at least 23 months.
Sheriff's reports show the housekeeping staff at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort entered the couple's room at 2:20 p.m. They found the 2-year-old girl wearing a diaper and the 4-year-old boy in his underwear.
The cleaning staff waited in the room for about five minutes for the parents to return. Hotel security then contacted the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies said Disney's security staff searched the resort for nearly two hours and called the telephone number listed on the couple's registration form. Their calls were not returned. Security staff located the couple at the pool at 4:15 p.m. The couple was asked to return to their room.
When questioned by investigators, Kimberly Simmons told them she had taken her six-year-old nephew swimming and was "aware the two children were alone in her hotel room," the arrest report shows. Her husband "seemed OK with this arrangement."
Kimberly Simmons told deputies she is an out-of-state counselor. Deputies asked her if "leaving two small children in a hotel room alone for hours was reasonable in Michigan," according to the report.
She responded that she was aware of what she had done and knew how to "take care of children."
Both were arrested and booked at the Orange County Jail.
Disney staff also issued the couple a letter alerting them that they were not welcome on the property and were asked to leave.
Copyright © 2009, Orlando Sentinel
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-bk-foster-kids-alone-disney-072009,0,7765551.story?track=rss
A Michigan couple left their foster children, ages 2 and 4, alone in their Walt Disney World hotel room for two hours while they swam and tanned at the resort's pool Friday, deputies said.
Stephen Simmons, 49; and Kimberly Simmons, 41, were booked into the Orange County Jail on charges of child neglect. Each suspect paid a $2,000 bond Saturday and were released from jail.
Orange County sheriff's deputies said Kimberly Simmons, a counselor at a Michigan school, told them she has left the boy and girl unsupervised in the past. Deputies said neither foster parent seemed bothered by leaving the children alone.
Officials at the Department of Children and Families, who have custody of the children, said leaving a child unsupervised is a serious safety risk.
"In an environment like a home, a parent is expected to take a nap or shower, but they are still responsible for ensuring the child can't hurt themselves," DCF spokeswoman Carrie Hoeppner said. "In this situation and with a time delay of two hours, these children could have gotten out of the room or walked out of the hotel."
Hoeppner said family services officials from Michigan will be in Florida today to take custody of the boy and girl. Reports show the couple has been in custody of the children for at least 23 months.
Sheriff's reports show the housekeeping staff at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort entered the couple's room at 2:20 p.m. They found the 2-year-old girl wearing a diaper and the 4-year-old boy in his underwear.
The cleaning staff waited in the room for about five minutes for the parents to return. Hotel security then contacted the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies said Disney's security staff searched the resort for nearly two hours and called the telephone number listed on the couple's registration form. Their calls were not returned. Security staff located the couple at the pool at 4:15 p.m. The couple was asked to return to their room.
When questioned by investigators, Kimberly Simmons told them she had taken her six-year-old nephew swimming and was "aware the two children were alone in her hotel room," the arrest report shows. Her husband "seemed OK with this arrangement."
Kimberly Simmons told deputies she is an out-of-state counselor. Deputies asked her if "leaving two small children in a hotel room alone for hours was reasonable in Michigan," according to the report.
She responded that she was aware of what she had done and knew how to "take care of children."
Both were arrested and booked at the Orange County Jail.
Disney staff also issued the couple a letter alerting them that they were not welcome on the property and were asked to leave.
Copyright © 2009, Orlando Sentinel
