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Mom charged with neglect after kids call 911

Published  August 17, 2018 9:23pm EDT
News
FOX 35 Orlando

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - A mom is behind bars, accused of leaving her three toddlers alone. One of them called 911 herself.

Daytona Beach Police say they’re not sure if that little girl dialed 911 on purpose or if she was was just playing with the phone. Either way, they’re glad she made that call. 

“911, where is your emergency. 911? Go get mommy. Go get mommy,” said a dispatcher in a 911 call. 

A few gurgles and some babbling were all that came through when Daytona Beach Police say a three-year-old girl called 911 herself Thursday afternoon.

“Somebody got on 911 but they really couldn't make out what the person was saying. You could tell it was a child,” said Daytona Beach Police Spokesperson Lyda Longa.

The baby screaming in the background of the call was enough for police to do a well-being check at the apartment. 

“I don’t know what the baby's intent was to call for help or if they were just playing but somehow and thankfully it got to dispatch,” said Longa.

Inside the home were three children, ages three, one and 10 months. They were found all alone and half-naked. One of them was wearing nothing but dirty diapers. There was no food or drinks inside the home. The youngest was sleeping on a bed without a railing.

“A kid could have fallen off the bed.” 

Police fed the children and waited an hour for their mother, Brittnay Freeney, to show up. Freeney is now locked up, charged with three counts of child neglect, accused of leaving the children along.

Neighbors are in disbelief. 

“You must be responsible. There’s no excuse to have them if that's not what you want and that's not what you can afford to do.” 

Freeney told police she was only gone for ten minutes to pick up food for the kids. But police say the children were alone for at least an hour. Police are grateful they’re okay.

“As we all know, kids can get into anything within seconds and then it's a tragedy,” said Longa. 

Freeney is still behind bars in Volusia County. The children are staying with a relative.