News

Actions

Police arrest caretaker who left children in grassy field unattended in Newport News

Posted at 5:20 PM, Jun 20, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-20 18:32:38-04

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Police said a 2-year-old and two 1-year-old boys were left in a field at the corner of 22nd Street and Jefferson Avenue on Tuesday.

Officers said the children did not sustain any injuries.

News 3 spoke with the woman who called 911 around 9:30 a.m.

Christina Myers said she was driving around the neighborhood and spotted the children on the ground. Myers mentioned they appeared to be sweating in the heat and believes they were outside for hours.

"They look like they hadn't been washed in a couple of days, so they did not look clean," she said.

Police quickly arrived and knocked on doors at the apartments across the street near the field to look for the childrens' parents or guardian who left them unattended.

"We gave them nutri-grain bars, pretzels, water and we just stood there," Myers said. "We actually picked them up, held them - we were just very saddened with what we saw."

Michelle Givens, 42, was arrested for child neglect and abuse. Police said she was found nearby on 21st Street.

Givens told officers that she is the children's aunt and was taking care of them at the time.

Child Protective Services was called and the kids were taken back to their mother.

"Especially since the temperature was very high yesterday, so I was very hurt and disgusted," Myers added.

Givens remains in the Newport News City Jail.

Her court date has not yet been set.