Hull Father Accused Of Leaving Toddlers Home Alone To Rob Restaurant
HULL (CBS) – A father in Hull is accused of leaving his two young children home alone while he went out to rob a restaurant.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Karen Twomey reports
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Police say they caught 32-year-old Kenneth Hammonds trying to rob the Red Parrot bar and restaurant around 2 a.m Wednesday.
WBZ-TV's Bill Shields reports
After he was arrested, officers went to Hammonds' apartment on Hillside Drive and found his children, ages one and three, sleeping, but alone.
The Department of Children and Families removed the toddlers and health inspectors were called in to evaluate the living conditions.
Authorities say the Thanksgiving turkey was still out on the table and there were dirty diapers strewn about the house.
"The apartment was in squalor," said Hull Police Chief Richard Billings. "The officers found dirty diapers on the floor, urine in the carpet, a turkey sitting out, broken glass in the kitchen, and not much food in the refrigerator, but a lot of beer."
Relatives say Hammonds' wife Melissa was in Florida Tuesday night and will be back later Wednesday.
The children are now with her sister pending a thorough investigation.
"She's a great mom, and a good person," said Melissa Hammonds' friend Rachael Pike. "She doesn't deserve this. She needs to get her kids back."
"The father was a jerk," one relative told WBZ-TV.
Hammonds' attorney claims his client was only out taking a walk to clear his head and that Hammonds left his children alone for just a couple of minutes.
He is charged with breaking and entering, vandalism and abandoning children under the age of 10.
Hammonds pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Wednesday in Hingham District Court.
WBZ-TV's Alana Gomez reports
He was ordered held on $10,000 cash bail.
WBZ-TV's Bill Shields contributed to this report.
