Friday, March 29, 2024

Mother charged with neglect after leaving three young children unattended in bus overnight

During routine patrol, Gulfport Police officer Christopher Priest noticed a mini-bus parked in the Gulfport municipal beach parking lot at 4:42 a.m. on Saturday, December 14, 2019. Upon checking the vehicle, he found three children inside, ages 3, 6, and 9 years old.

The children told the officer that their mother had left them there at approximately 9:00 p.m. the night before and went out on a boat.

Gulfport marine patrol was launched to canvass the dozens of boats anchored just offshore, and officers located the mother, 33 year-old Andrea L. Kerrins, onboard a vessel owned by a 46-year-old man named Yuri Radzibaba. They learned she had been smoking marijuana and that she intended to spend the night on the boat.

Photo showing bus after Gulfport arrest. Photo courtesy of Gulfport Police

The children had no access to a phone to call their mother or to call for help. Inside the mini-bus, officers found a bin of mostly perishable food that had been left unrefrigerated. There was a five-gallon bucket near the front door that was designated as a makeshift toilet and a propane tank inside the passenger area. The children had no clothing other than what they were wearing.

Kerrins was charged with three counts of felony child neglect. The children were taken, for the time being, by Florida Department of Children and Families.

Photo showing bus after Gulfport arrest. Photo courtesy of Gulfport Police

The name on the bus, Meg’s Playhouse and Preschool, appears to be a defunct organization with which Kerrins was not affiliated.

Kirrins’ last known address is Lafayette, Tennessee.


It has been almost 13 years since the inception of IONTB. Our operating expenses are not huge by any stretch of imagination but funds are necessary for our continued survival.  We are asking for a one time contribution or contribution on a monthly basis to help continue IONTB to flourish and enhance the coverage of news in the Tampa Bay area. Think of it as just giving up just a couple of your favorite coffee drinks each month.

 

Stay Connected

123,214FansLike
6,311FollowersFollow
9,037FollowersFollow
2,160SubscribersSubscribe