Florida Parents Arrested After 4-Year-Old Boy Is Found Alone in Pond Near Home Filled With Animal Waste

A four-year-old boy was found wandering alone in a retention pond in Florida, prompting deputies to search his home and uncover what authorities described as deeply unsanitary living conditions.

The incident occurred on the morning of October 31 in Deltona, Volusia County. Deputies from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office responded after receiving a report of a young child walking through the water without an adult nearby.

Body-camera footage released by authorities showed a deputy entering the pond and lifting the boy out of the water. The child was reportedly wearing only a diaper and did not appear to be in immediate distress.

After speaking with the boy, deputies located his home nearby and went inside to investigate how he had gotten outside.

According to investigators, the residence had extensive animal waste, a cockroach infestation and mold. Deputies also discovered a dog confined in a cage in what they described as neglected conditions. Animal control officers took custody of the dog.

Investigators said the boy’s father, Fermin Medrano-Perez, told them he had been watching the child that morning but fell asleep in a recliner. He reportedly believed the front door had been left unlocked when the child’s mother, Jeneixa Rodriguez-Crespo, left for work.

The parents allegedly acknowledged that their dog regularly urinated and defecated inside the home, explaining that they cleaned up the mess approximately once a week. They also said they had noticed a cockroach problem and had contacted an exterminator.

Rodriguez-Crespo returned home after deputies contacted her. Both parents were subsequently arrested and charged with child neglect and animal cruelty.

The child was placed in the care of a grandparent, and the Florida Department of Children and Families was notified to follow up on his welfare.

Authorities have not reported any serious physical injuries to the boy. The investigation has drawn attention to the circumstances in which he was able to leave the home and reach the pond without supervision.

The charges against the parents remain allegations, and both are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Sources:  New York Post