On Wednesday, a naked 4-year-old girl was found wandering alone in a Vero Beach, Florida neighborhood, leading to two children being removed from a home.
The child’s parents, Michael and Chrystal Slosson, were arrested and charged with child neglect. The two were booked into the Indian River County jail and held on a $10,000 bond each.
Vero Beach Police officers responded to a call that a young child, alone and unclothed, had wandered into a homeowner’s yard. Witnesses reportedly saw the child leave her home about 45 minutes earlier.
The officers made contact with the Slossons, who identified themselves as the girl’s parents. A 9-year-old child was also inside the home.
The girl’s parents told police the child must have escaped through a bedroom window when they put her down for a nap. While speaking with the Slossons, officers “were able to smell strong odors of urine and feces coming from within the residence.”
They observed that the home was in “deplorable” conditions. Garbage was strewn all over the house, and feces covered the walls and windows.
Officers notified the Florida Department of Children and Families, who responded to the home. The agency determined the house was unsuitable for living, and the children were not being adequately cared for. DCF took custody of both of the kids.
