Child Shared His Own Food With Family Dog Police Say Was Neglected
Guest Contributor
A disturbing case out of Doral, Florida is shining a harsh light on child neglect, animal neglect and what can happen when a child has to fend for himself. According to police, an 11-year-old boy was found wandering the parking garage of his apartment building in the early morning hours, searching for his mother so he could eat. The details described in the arrest report paint a troubling picture of life inside the apartment he shared with his mother, infant brother and the family dog.
Authorities say the boy’s mother, 31-year-old Roxanabel Medina Leon, repeatedly left him alone in their unit with little to no food available. Investigators report that she often stayed instead at her boyfriend’s apartment. When officers and building staff encountered the boy, they say he was not only hungry but also accustomed to sharing his limited food with the family dog because there was no dog food in the home. That single detail, that a child felt responsible for feeding a pet from his own scarce meals, is one many readers may find particularly heartbreaking.
The situation came to light when a building employee noticed the child in the garage around 3 a.m. and contacted the Doral Police Department. According to the arrest report, this was not the first time the employee had seen the boy looking for help. Police say that the previous morning, around 8:30 a.m., the same employee encountered the 11-year-old in the building lobby. At that time, the child reportedly asked for food or water. The employee told investigators that he responded by giving the boy popcorn, Biscoff cookies and water, a small act of kindness that ultimately helped draw attention to what was happening inside the apartment.
In statements given to police, the boy described how he frequently went to his mother’s boyfriend’s apartment in order to get food. On the day officers were called, he reportedly told them that he had tried to reach his mother at that apartment again but could not get an answer at the door. He also told investigators that the only food available at home was expired macaroni and cheese, which he was afraid to eat because he believed it might make him sick. The arrest report indicates that hunger had driven him into the parking garage to look for his mother’s vehicle, hoping that finding the car would mean finding her and, in turn, finding something to eat.
The boy also shared with authorities some of what daily life was like inside the home. According to the report, he said there were times he had been so hungry that he resorted to eating Gerber baby rice cereal mixed with water because there was no milk available. He also reportedly said that the family dog had not eaten regular dog food for about three months, which is one of the core details behind the animal cruelty allegation. In addition, he told officers that he often had to wake his mother when his 4-month-old baby brother was crying and she did not respond on her own.
When police entered the apartment, they described conditions that they considered unsafe and unsanitary. One officer wrote that the unit was in disarray and that the floors were sticky to the touch. The report states that there was a strong odor consistent with urine and feces throughout the residence. In the 11-year-old’s bedroom, the officer observed a mattress placed directly on the floor without a bed frame. In a bathroom adjacent to the child’s room was a dog cage containing two bowls, both of which were empty and lacked food or water.
The kitchen, a place that should have been a source of comfort and nourishment, reportedly held “little to no food.” Officers also noted a safety concern there. According to the report, two knives were on the kitchen countertop, unsecured and readily accessible to the child. In the mother’s bedroom, police saw a baby bassinet that appeared soiled and without a clean fitted sheet or bedding. Each of these observations supported the officers’ conclusion that the living environment was far from what is considered minimally safe and clean for children, especially an infant and a preteen.
After discovering the conditions inside the apartment, authorities went to the boyfriend’s apartment. There, they found Medina and the 4-month-old baby. In her account to police, Medina reportedly stated that she had cleaned the apartment the previous Tuesday and maintained that her older child was consistently fed, either when she cooked or ordered food. She also claimed that she had provided the dog with food the previous night and said she did not know why it was found with none. Her statements, as recorded in the report, stand in sharp contrast to what officers and the boy himself described regarding the state of the home and lack of resources.
Both children were taken to a hospital to be checked by medical professionals, a standard step in child neglect cases. Police arrested Medina on two felony counts of child neglect and one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty. These charges reflect both the alleged failure to provide adequate care and nourishment to her children and the reported lack of proper care for the family dog.
In court the following morning, Medina appeared before a judge. Reporters observed that she rolled her eyes while an interpreter spoke for her, then later cried. By Friday evening, officials said she was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $5,500 bond. The legal process will now determine how the criminal charges move forward, while child welfare authorities will focus on the immediate and long-term safety of the children.
Stories like this one raise difficult questions about child neglect, parental responsibility and community awareness. While only the courts can decide criminal guilt, the information in the arrest report underscores the importance of paying close attention when a child speaks up about being hungry or left alone. In this case, a building employee who listened, responded with food and then alerted authorities played a crucial role in bringing the situation to light. For those who read about cases of neglect and wonder what they might do in similar circumstances, this example highlights how a simple act of concern followed by a call for help can make a real difference in a child’s life.