Man arrested after allegedly abandoning kids on an island in Satellite Beach
SATELLITE BEACH, Fla. - A man was arrested after police in Satellite Beach say three children were abandoned for hours on an island in Brevard County.
One of the children’s fathers, Leonard Nile, was supposed to be watching the kids on the Memorial Day camping trip, but the father was arrested and charged with three counts of child neglect.
According to a police report, three children who were left without care were 9, 10, and 11 years old. Not only were they left, but they were stranded on an island surrounded by water before a Good Samaritan heard them screaming for help from the dock late Saturday night.
"I cried so much Sunday that I can’t cry anymore. Now, I just want answers," said Robin, who’s one of the children’s mothers.
Robin wants justice after her 9-year-old daughter and two other kids were allegedly left alone for four hours on Samson Island in Satellite Beach.
"They got scared, so they made their way to the dock and was yelling for help," said the mother.
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Robin says her daughter was staying with her best friend and was supposed to be watched by her father. She tells us he's looked after her daughter before, so she wasn't worried, but that changed on Saturday night.
"I couldn’t get there fast enough to make sure my daughter was okay," said Robin, saying her heart sank when the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office called her, letting her know what happened to her daughter.
According to a police report, Satellite Beach police officers responded to 698 Jackson Court after the man who was arrested, Leonard Nile, called 911, saying he lost contact with the children. The responding officers say Nile was emotional, showing mood swings and even crying and yelling in reference to missing children.
Nile told police he left the kids to get more equipment for the camping trip, but when he returned, he couldn't find them. The officer noted they could smell alcohol on him. The report also says the suspect admitted to smoking weed, consuming cocaine, and drinking beer before meeting with the officers.
"If you’re going to be out there with the children, we need to be in the right state of mind," the mother said.
Thankfully, all three children were safe because someone nearby heard them yelling and brought them back to land.
"Why were our kids just left out there? Why didn’t you make sure one of the cell phones were charged? I want answers," said Robin.
Police arrested him Saturday night, and a judge set his bond at $7,500.