A mother and father in Texas were arrested after they allegedly left their two young children home alone to go out for late-night drinks at a bar.
Breanna White and Evan White have both been charged with one count of abandoning or endangering a child with intent to return following the incident that took place on Saturday, November 7.
The Parker County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release that authorities received a call “from a concerned citizen” just two minutes before midnight on Saturday regarding “two young children that had been left home alone.”
Deputies reported to the residence in the early hours of Sunday, November 8, “to find that there were no adults present at the house, or anywhere else on the property,” according to the sheriff’s office.
Breanna and Evan, both 26, made it back home around 12:10 a.m., and the parents entered the house with the officers.
Deputies then entered the home, and they learned that a 3-year-old boy and a 1-year-old girl “had been left unattended” for several hours.
The parents then spoke to authorities and allegedly admitted that they first left their children “home unattended” earlier that night around 8 p.m. so they could go out to dinner at a local restaurant.
The couple claimed they returned home after dinner, but they allegedly left their children for a second time that night to get drinks.
“The Whites then told deputies that after they returned home from dinner, they decided to go out to a local bar, again leaving the children home alone,” authorities said in the press release. “Due to the very young age of both children involved, it isn’t reasonable to believe they could fend for themselves in the absence of a parent or guardian.”
In light of the incident, the children were removed from the home and placed with family members as the investigation into the parents continues.
Breanna and Evan were booked into the Parker County Jail, and they were released the same day after posting $5,000 surety bonds.
“[T]here is no greater responsibility than parenting a child, and it’s heartbreaking to think that parents would leave their toddlers home alone so mom and dad could go out to the bar,” Parker County Sheriff Russ Authier said about the incident. “[M]om and dad ended up being babysat themselves at the Parker County Jail for doing just that.”
It’s not currently clear whether Breanna or Evan have entered pleas or retained legal counsel following their arrests. The Parker County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Us’ request for comment regarding updates in the case.
