North Miami Boy, 6, Found Wandering Alone Near Family Dollar, Stepfather Charged

A 32-year-old North Miami man is facing a felony child neglect charge after police say he dropped his 6-year-old stepson off alone outside an apartment complex and drove away without checking whether anyone was home. The boy ended up wandering more than a block away to a Family Dollar store, where he asked strangers to call police.

Ricindy Seaphin was arrested Tuesday evening by the North Miami Police Department and booked on one count of child neglect with no great bodily harm, according to WPLG Local 10. Police were called to an apartment near the 13000 block of Memorial Highway just before 6:45 p.m. Tuesday after receiving a report that the child had been left unattended, the station reported. Seaphin was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as of Wednesday, with his bond listed as pending determination.

A Rushed Drop-Off Sets Off a Search

According to the outlet's account, Seaphin picked the boy up from school Monday afternoon and dropped him off at about 3:20 p.m. in front of the apartment complex rather than walking him to the door, which police say he normally does before turning the child over to his mother. The boy's mother had told Seaphin earlier that she would not be home, the report states.

Investigators said Seaphin left without confirming that a responsible adult was inside the apartment. The boy then walked to the apartment and knocked, but no one answered. From there, the child made his way to the Family Dollar at 280 NE 135th Street, asking people for help and for someone to contact police, per the same account.

Witness Steps In, Boy Reunited Safely

A witness found the boy at approximately 4:15 p.m. Monday and, after discovering no one inside the apartment, stayed with him, provided him food and care, and eventually helped him back to the apartment before contacting law enforcement, the station's report notes. That witness's intervention led directly to the police response and Seaphin's arrest.

The Family Dollar where the boy sought help has drawn police attention before. In October 2024, a woman sitting in a car outside the same store was shot in the head after an argument inside escalated into gunfire in the parking lot, according to Local 10 News, which reported that a 35-year-old woman was arrested in that case.

Stepfather Admits Fault, Faces Felony

When officers arrived, Seaphin agreed to speak with them and was read his Miranda rights. He admitted he was in a rush and intentionally dropped the boy off without verifying anyone was home, the outlet reported. Police determined that Seaphin, the boy's stepfather who had previously lived with the child and his mother as a family, was responsible for the boy's care and supervision at the time. He was transported to TGK after processing at the North Miami Police Department, whose General Investigative Unit handles child abuse and crimes against persons cases, according to the City of North Miami.

Under Florida Statute § 827.03(2)(e), neglecting a child without causing great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement is classified as a third-degree felony, according to Musca Law. A conviction on that charge carries maximum statutory penalties of up to five years in state prison, up to five years of probation, and a fine of up to $5,000, per the Galigani Law Firm.

Why a Single Drop-Off Can Trigger Felony Charges

Florida law defines a caregiver broadly, covering parents, adult household members, or anyone responsible for a child's welfare, and it allows neglect charges to be filed over a single act or omission that creates a substantial risk of serious harm, explains Hussein & Webber, PL. That standard is why prosecutors don't need to prove the boy was physically hurt to pursue the case against Seaphin, who had previously lived with the child as part of the family.

Because the alleged offense is a non-violent third-degree felony, Seaphin is entitled to a first appearance hearing before a magistrate under the Eleventh Judicial Circuit's uniform bond schedule, with Florida law requiring felony arrestees to receive a judicial bail review within 24 hours of arrest, according to the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida. That process explains why his bond was still listed as pending as of Wednesday.

Anyone who knows or suspects a child is being neglected by a caregiver is required under Florida Statute § 39.201 to report it immediately to the Florida Abuse Hotline, which the Department of Children and Families operates around the clock, and the law grants good-faith reporters immunity from civil liability. This case follows a pattern of child safety cases drawing scrutiny in northern Miami-Dade County; in May, Hoodline reported that prosecutors reviewed murder charges after a 6-year-old boy died in nearby North Miami Beach. It remains unclear whether DCF will open a parallel administrative child welfare investigation into Seaphin's case or whether prosecutors will pursue pretrial diversion or formal prosecution.