Becky Crissman
Cordele Dispatch
Cordele —
Five young children, between the ages of 11-months and 5 years, have been temporarily removed from their home after a concerned citizen located two of them on the side of a road blocks from home.
The passerby, who asked not to be named, said in a phone interview that he was traveling westbound in the 100 block of Drayton Lane in the vicinity of Sheppard Road when he spotted two small Hispanic girls standing alone on the side of the road in the tall grass Tuesday morning.
“I couldn’t imagine what those two children were doing out all alone,” he said. “There was not an adult in sight anywhere.”
He said he immediately pulled over and notified authorities. Both children, who he later learned were ages 2 and 4, appeared very unkempt and dirty, he said.
He did not approach the children, but waited for authorities to arrive at the scene.
According to sheriff’s reports, when Deputy Melvin Jones arrived on the scene, the two minors were sitting in a patrol unit with Deputy Jennifer Bloodworth and speaking to an interpreter.
They reportedly said they had been told by their mother to ‘get out’ earlier in the morning. After speaking with the children, the deputies were able to locate the residence, a Truman Street address, blocks from where they were located.
Deputies found the mother of the children at the home, with three other minor children. She told deputies that she had not felt well and advised the children to go out and play at around 7 in the morning.
Caseworkers with the Crisp County Department of Family and Children Services were called in to assess the situation at which time it was determined that the home was unsuitable for the children, and they were removed to a foster home.
The man who made the complaint said he worried about the fate of the children, but he had praise for the deputies’ handling of the situation.
“They were very quick to respond and very professional,” he said. “They showed genuine concern for those two little girls. I am just glad that God put me on that road this morning.
“So many bad things could have happened. They could have been kidnapped or even bitten by a snake in the tall grass. When I left the scene this morning those little girls weighed on my heart.
“I am glad they were able to remove the kids. I just wish they could have taken the mama to jail.”
