GREENACRES, Fla.—A man and woman are facing child neglect charges after a sheriff’s deputy found five malnourished children living in a car parked outside a Wal-Mart store.
The Palm Beach Post reports Donell Barron and Rikki Hart—both 34—were arrested Sunday.
An arrest report says the deputy looked inside the car after detecting a strong odor “similar to that of homeless camps.” Baron told the deputy the family lost their home and lived in motels until they ran out of money two months ago.
5 malnourished children found living in car outside Florida Wal-Mart https://t.co/xaYnJoswfK
— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) December 21, 2016
Baron told the deputy the kids bathed at a nearby park.
Authorities say the children are underweight, but the 14-year-old boy’s bones “were clearly visible.”
The Department of Children and Families took custody of the children. The report doesn’t say whether Baron and Hart have lawyers.
