Custodial dad leaves 9-year-old daughter home alone for 15 hours with no phone, keys (Dedham, Massachusetts)

UPDATE: See this link: http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/local/man-leaves-9-year-old-girl-home-alone-for-hours-20110302. Here the 9-year-old girl confirms that she has a different mother than her sister, whose Mom lives in New York City. The 9-year-old's mom lives in England. So Daddy obviously has full custody of the 9-year-old at least. But of course, we still have no explanation as to how or why.

Obviously dad SHAUN NELSON had either full or joint custody of these kids when he left his 9-year-old daughter at home alone in Massachusetts while taking his other daughter to New York City to see her mother. The 9-year-old girl was left alone for at least 15 hours with no phone or keys. Also seems clear that Daddy lived like a pig and neglected his daughters on a routine basis, but got substantial custody rights anyway. Explain to me again how daddies are discriminated against? Plus, do you think the mothers will get custody back now? Don't hold your breath, friends.

http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/12003682114774/dedham-dad-under-arrest-for-leaving-9-year-old-home-alone/

Dedham dad who left child home alone is arrested

Posted: Today at 9:10 am EST Last Updated: Today at 1:26 pm EST

DEDHAM, Mass. -- A dad is under arrest after police say he left his 9-year-old home alone. And investigators said it may not be the first time it happened.

According to the police report, Shaun Nelson left his Dedham apartment complex and traveled by bus to New York with his other daughter to leave her with the mother of the two children.

The fire department responded to a smoke alarm going off in the 9-year-old’s apartment around 8 p.m. when the girl burnt a pan of biscuits on the stove.

The patrolman, Michael Doyle, who also answered the call, wrote in his report: “I observed several half filled beer bottles and liquor bottles inside the apartment. There was also a large amount of dirty dishes in the sink as well as dirty clothes strewn throughout the apartment.”

Police said the nervous 9-year-old said she had been left alone for long periods of time before with no keys and no phone.

The girl was taken to the Dedham Police Station and later to a Department of Children and Families foster home for the night.

According to the police report, the father got home at 2:30 a.m. from New York to find a police card in the door and called in response to that card. But according to the dispatcher, he never asked about his child.

When police finally did get a chance to ask the father how his daughter was left home alone for at least 15 hours, police said he simply stated: “I take full responsibility.” And when asked if he’d left his daughter home alone before he replied: “Occasionally.”

According to the police report, that father is now facing a charge of abandonment of a child under age 10. They emphasized, however, that their investigation was ongoing.

“The most important fact of the whole story is the fact that she’s safe, and it could’ve been a lot worse,” said Lt. Robert Nedder.

“If they’re left alone for that period of time where they have no way to get in contact with somebody in case of an emergency, then obviously that’s not a good move for a parent,” he said.