Parents Left Toddler Home Alone To Get Pizza

A couple in Indiana are facing drug and child neglect charges after leaving a 1-year-old child home alone.

Police were called to an Evansville apartment complex on Tuesday afternoon after an 8-year-old told her school bus driver that she would have to watch her 1-year-old brother when she got home.

The bus driver then called 911 and waited while the 8-year-old went into the apartment and brought out the toddler.

Police then entered the apartment and said there was no one else present. There was also no food in the refrigerator. Animal droppings were found in a child’s bedroom as well as alcohol, pills and drug paraphernalia was located in the apartment, say police.

The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office said that the 8-year-old girl told them she only eats at school and often babysits her younger brother overnight while her parents are out.

It was an hour before parents Cameron and Holly Reine returned to the apartment. The couple seemed unconcerned about leaving the children alone at home, police say.

Holly Reine reportedly told police that a homeless woman was supposed to arrive to babysit 10 minutes after they left the apartment. The couple said they went to a pizza shop and were going to bring back food for the kids, however, police said they had no food with them.

After the Reines were arrested, child services took the children, and animal control took a pet from the apartment.