Two young children were found outside a Warren apartment complex last night with no adults in sight, prompting police to open an investigation into who dropped them off and why. Officers at the scene took the kids into protective custody as they began working to track down the adults responsible. As of Monday night, investigators had not announced any arrests or shared the children's ages.
According to FOX 2 Detroit, officers were called after someone noticed the children outside the complex. The station aired a video showing police at the scene and reported that investigators are working to identify who left the children there, then determine whether charges such as neglect or abandonment are appropriate.
How reporting and CPS screening work
In Michigan, reports of suspected child abuse or neglect are funneled through a statewide centralized intake system. The state's Office of the Child Advocate directs residents to the MDHHS Centralized Intake hotline at 1-855-444-3911 to make a report. That line is staffed around the clock, and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services screens tips, then sends cases to local law enforcement or Child Protective Services when an investigation is warranted. If someone believes a child is in immediate danger, officials say the first call should be to 911.
Legal context
Michigan's Child Protection Law requires certain professionals to report suspected abuse or neglect, and it also allows any person to make a report. Under the statutes and court guidance (MCL 722.621 et seq.), neglect can include putting a child at unreasonable risk by failing to provide adequate care. When a credible report meets the statutory criteria, it must be assessed and referred for investigation. Depending on what investigators find, prosecutors can consider a range of charges, from misdemeanor neglect to felony abandonment.
Similar cases around Metro Detroit
The Warren case is unfolding as child-safety investigators stay busy across Metro Detroit. In Redford Township, police and Children's Protective Services investigated after three children were discovered alone inside a parked vehicle during a heat advisory, and two adults were arrested, CBS News Detroit reported. In another incident in February, Flint Township police charged a mother after two children with special needs were found living unattended in squalid conditions, according to FOX 2 Detroit.
What Warren police say and what residents can do
Warren police are asking anyone who might know who left the children at the apartment complex to call the department's non-emergency line at (586) 574-4700. For concerns about possible abuse or neglect more generally, Michigan residents can contact the MDHHS Centralized Intake at 1-855-444-3911.
Authorities say community tips are often crucial, helping identify caregivers, getting kids back into safe environments, or giving prosecutors the evidence they need to pursue charges. As of last night, the Warren investigation remained active, and police had not released additional details. This story will be updated as officials share more information.
