NORTH MIAMI, Fla. — A 32-year-old man from Miami-Dade County is facing a child neglect charge after police say he intentionally dropped off his 6-year-old stepson at a North Miami apartment complex and left without making sure an adult was there to supervise him.
Jail records show Ricindy Seaphin was arrested Tuesday evening by the North Miami Police Department.
North Miami police said officers responded just before 6:45 p.m. to an apartment near the 13000 block of Memorial Highway after receiving a report that a 6-year-old boy had been left unattended.
Police said Seaphin and the boy are stepfather and stepson and previously lived together as a family. They determined Seaphin was responsible for the boy’s care and supervision.
The report states Seaphin picked the boy up from school and drove him to his apartment complex. Police said the boy’s mother had previously told Seaphin that she would not be home.
Police allege Seaphin then “intentionally” dropped the boy off in front of the apartment complex and left without walking him to the apartment or confirming that a responsible adult was there.
They said the boy then walked to the apartment and knocked on the door, but no one answered.
He then left the complex and walked to the Family Dollar at 280 NE 135th St., where he approached people and asked for help and for someone to contact police, according to the report.
The report states that a witness located the boy and helped him back to the apartment.
After determining that no one was inside, the witness stayed with the boy, provided him with food and care, and contacted law enforcement, according to the report.
Police said Seaphin later arrived at the scene, and he was read his Miranda rights and agreed to speak with officers.
According to the arrest report, Seaphin admitted he was “in a rush” and intentionally dropped the boy off without verifying that anyone was home.
The report states Seaphin also told officers that he normally walks the boy to the apartment door and turns him over to his mother but failed to do so that day.
Seaphin told police he dropped the boy off at about 3:20 p.m. The report states the boy was not found by the witness until approximately 4:15 p.m.
Seaphin was arrested and taken to the North Miami Police Department for processing before being transported to TGK.
Jail records show Seaphin is facing one count of child neglect with no great bodily harm.
As of Wednesday, he was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where his bond was listed as “to be set.”
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