Deputies arrested Irene Miller after a 911 call led them to four children, ages 9 to 14, without an adult present.
KISSIMMEE, FL — A Florida mother faces four counts of child neglect without great bodily harm after deputies said she left her four children without overnight adult supervision while she traveled to Las Vegas for work.
Irene Miller, 50, was arrested Oct. 23 after returning to Florida, according to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities said the case came to their attention two days earlier, when one of Miller’s children called 911 shortly after 8:30 p.m. to report that a dumbbell had fallen on her 9-year-old brother’s head. Deputies responding to the Kissimmee-area home found four children, ages 14, 12, 11 and 9, with no adult present.
Fire rescue crews took the 9-year-old boy to Celebration Hospital, where he was treated and later released, authorities said. Deputies contacted Miller by phone during their response. She told investigators she was working in Las Vegas and planned to return to Florida on Oct. 23. The sheriff’s office said Miller had left for Las Vegas on Oct. 18.
Miller told deputies she had arranged for a babysitter from Tampa to come in the mornings to help the children get ready for school and to check on them after school, according to the sheriff’s office. She told investigators the babysitter was not required to stay overnight. Authorities have not publicly released additional details about how often the sitter visited or how long the children were without an adult at the home.
After deputies found the children, they contacted their father, who agreed to take all four to his residence, the sheriff’s office said. Investigators then arranged to meet Miller when she returned from Las Vegas. Deputies took her into custody after her flight arrived in Florida and booked her into the Orange County Jail.
Miller was charged with four counts of child neglect without great bodily harm, one count involving each child, according to authorities. The charges are allegations, and the filing of criminal charges does not establish guilt. ABC News reported that jail records showed Miller had since been released. An attorney for Miller did not immediately respond to that outlet’s request for comment.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office released video showing detectives approaching Miller after she returned from Las Vegas. Sheriff Chris Blackmon said his office would investigate cases in which authorities believe children have not been properly supervised or cared for.
The circumstances surrounding the 911 call were central to the investigation. Authorities said one of the children sought emergency help after the 9-year-old was injured, bringing deputies to the home and leading them to determine that no adult was there. The boy’s injury did not require him to remain hospitalized, according to the sheriff’s office.
Authorities have not publicly detailed what Miller was doing for work in Las Vegas beyond saying she told deputies she was there for employment. The sheriff’s office also has not released further information about the babysitter’s account or announced any allegations against another caregiver in connection with the case.
As of Oct. 27, Miller had been released from jail, according to records cited by ABC News. No plea or future court date was confirmed in the available reports, and the child neglect allegations remain pending.
Author note: Last updated October 27, 2026.