Port St. Lucie woman arrested after leaving children alone for 10 hours
November 20th, 2009 by TCPalm.comPORT ST. LUCIE — A woman was arrested Thursday on child neglect charges for leaving her two young children unattended overnight while she went to a bar and “slept over” with a friend, police said.
According to an arrest report, Karolyn Gail Minor, 28, of the 500 block of Northwest Waverly Circle, left her 7-year-old and 18-month-old children at home alone about 10 hours — from about midnight Wednesday to about 10 a.m. Thursday — while she went out. She went first to a bar and later to spend the night at the home of a friend whose name she “could not or would not give” to an officer, the report stated.
A neighbor told police she saw the 7-year-old waving from the Minor home about 8 a.m. Thursday and then alone in the home’s driveway about 25 minutes later.
The boy told the neighbor his mother had been “kidnapped,” and the neighbor called Minor’s brother, who came to the scene and called police, the report stated.
When Minor arrived about 10 a.m. Thursday, she told police she had left the children in the care of a friend, police said. But the friend told police she left Minor’s home shortly after 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, while Minor was still at the house. The friend’s sister confirmed the friend’s story, according to the report.
Minor was booked into the St. Lucie County Jail on a child neglect charge. The children were put in the custody of their father, Minor’s estranged husband.
Subscribe to TCoastTalk's RSS Feed
Browse the photo galleries here
November 20th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
Why have children if you’re going to treat them like dogs. As a matter of fact, I won’t even leave my dogs alone for 10 hours. This is an outrageous act of neglect. And to think, this little boy thought his mother was kidnapped!!!!! I sure hope somebody in the family is responsible enough to take care of these young children, and that they never have to go through something like this again. With so many stories of kidnapping, murder, and molestation, this woman is lucky that these children survived. Not that she gives a crap.
November 20th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
I just can’t believe that this woman would leave her 7 year old son and her 18 month old toddler home alone just to take her behind out. She doesn’t need kids. She needs to enroll in a parenting class. I hope she doesn’t have any more kids. I guess she thinks more of going out to a bar than the welfare of her own kids. It ticks me off that so many so-called mothers are so irresponsible.
November 20th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
what a typical LOSER
November 20th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
First of all, I want to start by saying that I completely agree that 7 years old is way too young to leave a child alone over night, let alone, caring for a toddler.
That being said, I am curious as to what age others out there feel that it is reasonable to leave a child home alone. I ask this because I remember that when I was a child, it was fairly common-place to have children around 10-12 years old babysitting younger children. However, I also grew up in a more rural area where child-related crimes were unheard of (in that area).
November 20th, 2009 at 11:46 pm
Drunken wallet predator, watch out older fellas! Poor Ethan.
November 21st, 2009 at 4:54 am
What is wrong with the people of the world today leaving these babies home alone? People would love to have chldren and can’t and IDIOTS like this can have two beautiful babies and leave them alone for some sick person or some misfortune to happen to these babies. I am a mother and there wasn’t a bar, man, job, or any material thing more important than my responsibility to my babies. Neighbor you did the right thing by getting involved. You may have saved two precious lives. God bless the children and the RESPONSIBLE parents that are there for them. Thank you God for my two children I love them both.
November 21st, 2009 at 5:34 am
This woman is NOT responsible enough to have children. Sadly for them. I’ll bet she spent the night partying and not even giving one thought to the needs of her poor children. In response to WhatAge, I think it depends on the maturity level but I too had babysitters that were 10-12 but times were different and my parents always left emergency contact info and did not stay out all night. My children are 11 and 14 and I’ll go out occassionally for a couple hours and make sure to leave them with contact info but I would never think of leaving them overnight! They’re children and they still get scared! In this day and age, with good reason!
November 21st, 2009 at 5:38 am
jail time for this one. DCF will try some parenting classes etc then give the kids back in a while. THis is why our juvenile prisons are full–too many parents who do not care about their kids, which damages the kids, and makes them society’s problem when they get older. poor kids
November 21st, 2009 at 7:40 am
Jackazz I guess you know who this loser is…I hope she ends up in jail. My daughter is 8 and I can’t even imagine leaving her alone to go out drinking. That is insane!!
November 21st, 2009 at 8:43 am
Dear whatage, the approiate age by law is 13yrs old. A 13 yr old can be left alone with their siblings also. I think the siblings have to be a certain age tobe left alone with a 13yr old (not sure) however the legal age is 13yrs. I also can remember when 10, 11,12++++ were allowed to babysit, now it is striaght to jail. I honestly don’t know if I agree with 13 yrs. being ok. Maybe with today’s society it should be a little higher.
November 21st, 2009 at 9:03 am
To WhatAge: I think it depends on the maturity of the child.
However, I also think that it’s o.k. to leave a 13 year old home alone (but not over night) and make sure contact information is left, and I also would check on the 13 year old periodically. Again, it depends on how mature the teenager is. Some are more mature than others.
November 21st, 2009 at 9:10 am
I am a 78 year old who is shocked by the way kids are being treated in this country by parents and others who have no regard for their safety and welfare, but live from hour to hour seeking the next thrill. I think a fair punihment for these hyenas would be a roofless wire cage outside and they should be put on a terminal diet of water. A sure cure for their ills is guaranteed.
November 21st, 2009 at 5:00 pm
Typically I find people that do things like this also state that they are , “Anti Abortion” .. See they think its ok to do whatever they want because they didnt have an abortion.
This is why im Pro Abortion, there are alot of retards out there with no business to have kids!!!
November 21st, 2009 at 5:28 pm
i would have done her if i dragged her home from the bar.
i’m sure a 7 year old can take care of a 2 year old for one night!
November 21st, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Overnight? An adult needs to be there. Anyone under that it should be for 3-4 hours.
Abortions don’t cure a damned thing except the inconvenience of pregnancy.
We’ve had millions of them and things have gotten worse. This liberal B.S. got to stop or our society won’t survive.
November 22nd, 2009 at 10:56 pm
This is child abuse!!!!!I hope the court takes her freedom away!!!