Two Children Found Wandering Miami Street
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Two small children are safe after wandering away from their Miami home with no clothing on.
A witness told police they were naked and had wandered about a half a block away from their home at 4991 N.W. 18th Ave.
Their mother, Ayana Ali, told CBS4's Peter D'Oench that she was horrified to learn that her two-year-old son and three-year-old daughter had walked away from their home.
"My first thought is that, you know, I was afraid they were outside without supervision," said Ali, a mother of five children. "It's not something I would approve of."
Ali had thought her children would be safe and that her 14-year-old stepson would be paying attention while she took her 9-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter to school.
"I was late getting my oldest kids to school," Ali said, "So I told my son to watch them. I said I'll be right back I am taking them to school. My husband was here. My oldest son was here. He apparently fell asleep. My babies were in the house with him."
Ali's two-year-old son and three-year-old daughter walked out through the unlocked front door.
"They apparently opened the door to come find their father who was out there," she said.
The witness told police that this isn't the first time the children have wandered from their home.
Their mother and a neighbor, however, both said that was not true.
"Did your kids ever do this before and step outside?" D'Oench asked Ali.
"Not that I know of," she said.
Neighbor Tammy Small said, "I've never seen them wandering naked. I've always seen them outside with her."
While the children were not hurt, they were hungry. They devoured food that neighbor Small brought them.
"I went home and got them hot dogs, chips, juice and whatever, whatever I could find," Small said. "I have kids of my own. They are grown but I have grandkids and I would want somebody to do the same for them."
Police were told Ali's house had no food but Ali said that was because she needed to go shopping.
"My kids always eat but it is tough. I do have a husband. He works," Ali said. "And we take care of the children together."
Investigators from the Department of Children and Families were called. A spokeswoman for D.C.F. was not sure if the agency had a "history" with the family or if investigators had ever been called to the house before that Ali has lived in for a year.
"They have never been here before," said Ali. "Never."
Ali said D.C.F. investigators would return Friday morning and wanted to look at the stability of her front door that the children opened before leaving the house.
Miami Police expect DCF investigators to monitor this case closely.
They also said they do not anticipate any charges and that they found no criminal violations or neglect.
"What can you do to make sure this doesn't happen again?" D'Oench asked Ali.
"Take them with me," she replied.
<strong>RELATED CONTENT:</strong>
