GLENPOOL, OK — Police in Glenpool arrested an Oklahoma couple after officers say they left three young children home alone while they went to play pickleball about 11 miles away in Bixby.
The children were 8, 5 and 1 years old, according to Glenpool police. Officers said the children were found safe and in good health inside the home when they responded to the scene on Aug. 30.
The case led to three counts of child neglect against Feather Roberts and Andrew Dick. Police also notified the Oklahoma Department of Human Services as the investigation moved forward.
911 hang-up call led officers to the home
Glenpool police said the case began with a 911 hang-up call on Aug. 30. The caller told dispatchers there was a concern that three children had been left without adult supervision.
Officers said the caller then contacted Roberts, who said she and Dick were playing pickleball about 20 minutes away and that the children were with sitters. But when the caller went to the residence, the children were there alone.
When officers arrived, they found the 8-year-old and 5-year-old watching television while the 1-year-old was asleep. Police said the children were safe when they were checked by officers.
Parents told police they were on a pickleball outing in Bixby
Police said Roberts and Dick later returned to the home and confirmed they had been playing pickleball in Bixby. The city is about 11 miles from Glenpool.
Officers also asked how the children could reach them in an emergency. Roberts reportedly said the children had access to an iPad.
That detail became part of the broader child-neglect investigation. Police said they were looking at how the children were supervised and what arrangements had actually been made for the youngest child and the others in the home.
Police said the family had childcare arranged only for the infant
According to Glenpool police, the couple had arranged childcare for the youngest child, who was an infant, while the older children remained at home without supervision. Investigators said the arrangement did not cover all three children.
Police also said their initial findings suggested this was not the first time Roberts and Dick had left the children home alone. No further details about earlier incidents were released.
The arrests followed a welfare check that started as a 911 hang-up call and ended with the children being taken as safe and healthy. The case was then referred to state child welfare officials.
Oklahoma does not set a legal minimum age for home alone time
Oklahoma does not have a law or policy that sets a specific age for when a child can be left home alone. Instead, the state offers guidance for parents based on age and maturity.
The state says infants and children under 6 should never be left alone. It says grade school children may be left for one or two hours during the day only if they can reach a responsible adult, and they should not be left in charge of younger children.
State guidance also says middle school children who show enough maturity may be left alone for up to four hours and may watch one or two younger children only if they have constant access to a responsible adult.
Illinois law spells out a neglect standard for children under 14
The case also comes as many parents and caregivers ask where the legal line is drawn in other states. Illinois is one of the states with a clearer rule on the books.
Illinois law defines a neglected minor in part as any child under 14 whose parent or guardian leaves them without supervision for an unreasonable period of time, according to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.
A DCFS spokesperson said what counts as unreasonable depends on the circumstances, including the length of time, the child’s maturity, whether siblings are involved and whether the child has access to food, shelter and emergency help.
Why child supervision rules vary so widely from state to state
Indiana takes a different approach and does not set a specific legal age for leaving a child unattended. The state says parents remain responsible for supervision until age 18, but they may use their judgment before then.
That discretion is supposed to account for the child’s maturity and the risks in the environment. It is also why parents are urged to know their own state rules rather than assume one national standard applies.
Family therapist Sheryl Ziegler told TODAY.com that 12 and older is generally a reasonable age to leave a child alone, though that depends on the child and the situation. The American Academy of Pediatrics has offered a similar general range, with maturity and safety needs still driving the final decision.
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