Miami police say a weekend welfare check in Overtown turned into a disturbing neglect case after an officer found a woman and her 3-year-old daughter naked outside a home, then discovered squalid conditions inside. The girl was described as malnourished and suffering from a severe lice infestation, and officers wrote that roaches were crawling over food, clothing, and furniture. Authorities said the woman was taken into custody on criminal neglect charges while the Department of Children and Families reviews the case.
According to Local 10, a Miami officer on routine patrol just before 8 p.m. Sunday spotted a nude adult and a nude child near Northwest Fourth Avenue and Northwest Eighth Street in Overtown and stopped to offer help. The woman, identified in booking records as 36-year-old Roslain Arabi Perdomo, allegedly told officers the child had been “acting out.” After entering the home with her consent, officers reported finding an empty, roach-infested refrigerator and freezer, with insects also visible on the home’s food and clothing.
The officer’s report states the child told police she was hungry and thirsty. A responding sergeant noted what appeared to be a large nugget of marijuana near the child’s toys, and officers wrote that Perdomo appeared to be under the influence. She was arrested, transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and is facing one count of child neglect without great bodily harm, according to the report.
What the charge covers
Under Florida law, neglect is defined as a caregiver’s failure to provide a child with necessary food, shelter, supervision or medical care, and the law allows a charge to be based on a single incident or repeated conduct. When neglect does not result in great bodily harm, it is prosecuted as a third-degree felony, with potential penalties of up to five years in prison and fines, as outlined by Florida Statutes, section 827.03.
What happens next
Police said they notified the Florida Department of Children and Families, which is responsible for conducting protective investigations and can seek immediate shelter or out-of-home placement for children considered at risk. Under Florida dependency procedures, a shelter hearing is generally held quickly after a child is removed, usually within 24 hours, to determine whether the child will remain in state care while the case moves forward in juvenile court, according to the Eleventh Judicial Circuit's juvenile dependency resources.
Local context
Cases that involve alleged neglect, filthy or unstable housing and possible substance use have surfaced across South Florida in recent years, raising concerns about gaps in housing stability and services for vulnerable families. Hoodline previously reported a similar Miami-area incident when a Miami Beach mother charged after authorities found a child alone and described the home as unsanitary.
Jail records show Perdomo was being held at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center with bond listed as "to be set," according to Local 10. No additional official statements from Miami police or the state attorney's office were immediately available.
