DELTONA, FL — A young girl discovered unattended in a Deltona neighborhood on Friday has led to the arrest of her mother and her mother’s boyfriend, marking a tragic case of alleged neglect that highlights the issues of homelessness and child welfare.
A concerned resident called authorities after neighbors spotted the little girl sitting alone on a chair in the carport while a dog roamed nearby. Responding to the call at about 4:30 p.m., deputies from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office found the child, who appeared hot, thirsty, and hungry, according to officials.
The neighbor provided the girl with food, water, clean clothes, and toys as deputies worked to trace her parents. In a conversation recorded by the deputies’ body cameras, the child revealed she didn’t know her address or her parents’ full names but gave the name “Quana.” She mentioned that her parents had left her to go charge their cell phones but did not know when they would return. The child also noted she didn’t attend school.
Medical staff checked the girl’s vital signs and found that she was in stable condition, offering some relief amid the concerning circumstances. However, it wasn’t until nine hours later that the authorities located the girl’s mother, Aquania Aleshia Estes, 27, and her boyfriend, Pitrez Floyd, 29.
Confronted by deputies, Estes explained that they were homeless and had been residing in a forested area near the neighborhood. Video footage captured her stating that the girl had wandered off while they were trying to obtain water and food. The makeshift home was described as consisting of two tents pitched in the woods.
Estes and Floyd now face serious charges, including desertion of a child and abandonment of an animal. Both are being held with bail set at $51,000. The case sheds light on the dire living conditions of some families and the tricky balance authorities must maintain between enforcement and compassion.
Meanwhile, the young girl has been placed under the care of her grandparents, offering her some stability and support during these tumultuous times. The incident raises questions about the systems in place to protect vulnerable children and families who live at the intersection of poverty and homelessness.
As cases like these unfold, they invite a closer look at how communities can support families in distress and prevent children from falling through the cracks amid their parents’ struggles. Efforts to combat homelessness and secure child welfare remain a community challenge, compelling action and attention from both local authorities and concerned citizens alike.