A Pasco County mother is facing three counts of child neglect after deputies say she left her three children, ages 14, 13 and 9, alone in an apartment with no electricity, no running water and just three dollars to split among them for food. Heather Marie Wizbicki, 35, was arrested by the Pasco County Sheriff's Office and is also charged with an animal-related offense involving a cat she allegedly left behind in the same conditions.
According to an arrest affidavit cited by WFLA, Wizbicki left her children alone in the apartment on Sept. 21, 2024, days after the power had already been shut off on Sept. 17. The home reportedly had no running water, and investigators who later walked through the unit described feces on the floor, rotten food stuffed into multiple trash bags, garbage scattered throughout and a smell so bad that, per the sheriff's office report, it was hard for the children to breathe even with the windows open.
Days Without Food, Supervision or a Way to Call for Help
Deputies said the children went hungry for multiple days and had no access to enough food, personal hygiene supplies or clean clothes while their mother was gone. They also had no phone and no way to reach family members, leaving them cut off with no adult supervision. The report describes the apartment overall as unlivable.
Wizbicki did return once, according to the report cited by Tampa Bay 28, but only to collect clothing for herself on Sept. 24. Before leaving again, she reportedly handed over three dollars for all three children to buy food. That same day, Wizbicki was arrested separately on unrelated drug charges, according to WFLA.
Neighbor's Call Breaks the Case Open
The children remained alone for several more days until a neighbor discovered them on Sept. 28 and contacted authorities, as Law&Crime reports. The Florida Department of Children and Families was notified and responded to the scene once the children were found. Investigators also determined that a cat had been left inside the apartment without a sufficient quantity of food and water, according to the affidavit.
Wizbicki was booked into the Pasco County Jail, where the same report notes she was being held without bond. She faces three counts of child neglect along with the animal-related charge tied to the cat's treatment.
What Florida Law Says About Neglect Charges
Under the state statute referenced in the case, Florida law defines neglect as a caregiver's willful failure or omission to provide care, supervision, food, shelter or other necessities for a child's physical and mental health, according to the Florida Legislature. The law allows neglect to be based on either repeated conduct or a single incident, so long as it causes or could reasonably be expected to cause serious injury or a substantial risk of death. Under that same statute, neglect without great bodily harm, permanent disability or permanent disfigurement is classified as a third-degree felony.
