Irene Miller charged with neglect after Las Vegas trip left four children unsupervised

Supervision failures in rural Florida often rely on informal arrangements that may not hold up during extended travel. Irene Miller, a 50-year-old resident of Kissimmee, faced four counts of child neglect following a work trip to Las Vegas that left her four children without overnight care.

Miller departed Florida on Oct. 18 and planned to return on Oct. 23. During that five-day window, she arranged for a babysitter to travel from Tampa to assist the children with morning school routines. According to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the sitter was not required to remain at the home at night. Deputies arrived at the residence shortly after 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 21 to find children aged 9, 11, 12, and 14 with no adults present. Fire rescue crews transported the 9-year-old to Celebration Hospital after a dumbbell fell on his head, an injury reported by a sibling via 911 call.

Miller was located by phone while working in Las Vegas and agreed to meet detectives upon her return. Body camera footage captured deputies approaching Miller as she exited her plane Friday morning. Officers escorted her through the terminal and placed her in handcuffs before booking her into the Orange County Jail. The children’s father took custody of the four kids while detectives coordinated the arrest.

Sheriff Chris Blackmon stated that his office will not tolerate child neglect. He emphasized that authorities will investigate these cases and bring charges against parents who fail to properly supervise or care for their children. Miller was charged with four counts of child neglect without great bodily harm.