Man charged after 4 children found wandering alone in cold

Mt. Oliver police arrested a man Wednesday after finding four young children walking along a busy street with no coats.

They say it all started at a bus stop off Brownsville Road and Walnut Street. Officers were waved down by someone on a Port Authority bus who said four young kids, ages 6 and 7, were alone without winter coats and one child with special needs wasn’t even wearing shoes.

The children told police they came from a home nearly a mile down the road.

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Police went to a home on Daytona Street, looking for the person responsible for watching the children.

They eventually found Khristopher Morris, the children's uncle, walking back to the home looking for the kids.

According to a criminal complaint, Morris told them, "I'm sorry, it’s my fault, I just ran to the store real quick,” saying, "he bought one cigarette.”

“That is just too far for kids,” said neighbor Darlene Seiler. “I get upset when my grandchildren are right down on Tarragonna Street.”

Seiler was appalled to learn the children were out alone by themselves in 39-degree weather along busy Brownsville Road. But what shocked her even more is what police say they found inside the home.

According to investigators, they found "dirty and sticky floors,” "only lettuce, celery and mustard in the fridge" and "dirty diapers laying on the floor amongst the dirty clothes scattered."

“It looks like they are taking care of the porch and the yard,” Seiler said.

Morris was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of children. Neighbors say they're just praying for the kids.

“They just had a need to get out of the house,” Seiler said.

Cox Media Group