Mother Arrested After 2 Children Found Alone in Front Yard: Miami Police

A mother has been taken into custody after two young children were found alone in their front yard, police said.

A mother has been arrested after two young children were found home alone on the 1800 block of Northwest 46th Street in Miami, officials said.

Naquisha Lashawn Thomas, 24, was supposed to be watching her 1-year-old daughter and someone else's 5-year-old girl when an employee with the Department of Children and Families found the two children alone in the yard, according to Miami Police.

"DCF drove by and saw both children in the streets, which is just unacceptable," Miami officer Rene Pimentel said.

According to DCF, the conditions in the home were filthy. The mother's two other children were at school when the kids were found alone, police said.

Relative Erica Lee said this is not the first time the children are left alone.

"They ran into a situation like this, like the same thing, leaving off and leaving the two kids," Lee said. "This is the second time she got caught."

Neighbors said conditions at the house are not suitable for young children.

"I see them playing in the yard and it's not a yard for them to play with," neighbor Jessica Rivera said.

Rivera said she had to put up a gate to keep her children safe. She said she has also seen Thomas' children unattended before.

"I saw the kids go to the store by themselves, the 4- and 5-year-old," she said.

The four children, including the 5-year-old girl Thomas was supposed to be babysitting, are all in DCF custody pending a hearing with the children's parents.

Officials said animals were also removed from the woman's home.

Stay with NBC6.com and NBC 6 South Florida for details.

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