Woman Accused Of Leaving Kids Alone In Miami Beach Alley
MIAMI (CBS4) – A West Palm Beach woman accused of leaving her two young children in an alley in Miami Beach made her first appearance before a judge on Wednesday.
During the hearing, the judge ordered that Tikira Barker, 22, be held on $10,000 bond.
According to Barker's arrest report, police found her arguing with a friend around 2 a.m. in the 7300 block of Carlyle Avenue. Barker told the officers that her two children, ages five and one, were waiting for her in an alley between two buildings. The officers checked but didn't find any children.
Miami Beach police spokeswoman Deborah Doty said the officers again asked Barker where her children were.
"So they said to her again 'Where are your children?' and she said, 'Oh they're over there'," said Doty.
Barker then reportedly told them that they were waiting for her in the rear of an apartment building but once again a quick check revealed no children.
Barker then allegedly confessed the officers that she and her friend had been drinking all day.
According to the report, Barker then told the officers here two children were waiting for her a block over on Byron Avenue. Again, no kids were found.
At that time, officers received a call from dispatch that a woman had called to say she had found two children alone in the 7300 block of Byron Avenue. Police located the woman and Barker's two children.
The oldest one reportedly told police that their mother left and didn't come back for a long time. The girl also told police she got scared when a dog started barking and a man started calling to them, so she pushed her young sister in a stroller until they could find someone to help them.
"They told the officers how hungry they were (and that) they haven't eaten in days. The officers saw that they were dirty, so they bought them food, gave them care, and contacted DCF," said Doty.
The children were turned over to the Department of Children and Families. Barker has been charged with two counts of child neglect.
