A Hollywood couple is facing child neglect charges for allegedly leaving their young autistic daughter alone for five hours until police found her naked in a flooded apartment.
Angelica Ospina, 28, and Daniel Velez, 29, were arrested Saturday and charged for an incident that happened last July 17, according to court records.
Police were called to the Polk Street apartment building when residents complained of water leaking from a fourth floor apartment into in three apartments below.
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Officers found the child had gotten out of bed, removed her clothes and turned on the tap in the kitchen sink, flooding the apartment and causing the leak.
Her parents returned from the ninth floor pool area when their names were announced on the building’s public address intercom system.
They said they were having an argument and didn’t want to wake their child, so they left the apartment for less than an hour, police said.
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According to the arrest reports, surveillance video showed the couple and some other people entering the fourth floor elevator about 12:30 a.m. with soft drinks and pizza boxes. The couple did not return to their apartment until summoned about 5:30 a.m. when police were there.
The couple explained they were doing the best they could to care for their daughter who suffered from seizures and had behavioral issues. She’s receiving counseling and has a therapy cat, the report stated.
They were released from the Broward County Jail Sunday on bonds of $2,000 each and were allowed to reunite with their child, records show.
