A weekend getaway in Key Largo took an ugly turn Sunday when Monroe County deputies say they found two young children left alone in a room at Reefhouse Resort & Marina while their parents were out drinking at the pool.
According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, resort employees went to check on a room after hearing an unattended baby crying. Inside, they found two small children alone in cribs. Deputies said the kids had been left unsupervised for roughly 40 minutes to an hour before anyone walked in. The parents, investigators later reported, were located at the resort pool with alcoholic drinks in hand.
Arrests And Charges
Monroe County jail records identify the parents as 40-year-old Allison Sirica Cannella and 43-year-old Brian Nicholas Cannella, both listed as living in Delray Beach. Each is facing two felony child neglect charges. The children were initially turned over to a family friend until the Florida Department of Children and Families could arrive and take over their care. The couple remained in Monroe County Sheriff’s Office custody as of Sunday morning, according to Local 10.
Not The First Call In The Keys
Deputies in the Florida Keys have been getting more than a few calls about kids left on their own at vacation spots this season. In May, they arrested a man after finding a 5-year-old alone on the beach at Gilbert’s Resort in a separate Key Largo case that triggered its own investigation, according to CBS Miami.
Legal Implications
Jail records show each parent now faces two felony neglect counts, a step that moves the incident firmly into the criminal justice system for possible prosecution, Local 10 reported.
Under Florida law, neglect and child abuse are covered by statute 827.03. Basic neglect can be charged as a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison, while aggravated forms of neglect carry higher penalties, according to the Florida Senate.
What’s Next
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the State Attorney’s Office will now decide whether to file formal charges against the Cannellas. At the same time, the Florida Department of Children and Families will handle welfare checks and follow-up for the children.
The agency outlines its child protection process, including how reports are handled and how it coordinates with law enforcement during investigations, on the Florida Department of Children and Families website.
