California couple get dogsitter, but not babysitter
When a father and step-mother in San Ramon, California went on vacation to Las Vegas, Nevada to celebrate the new year, they got a sitter for their new puppies, but left their children at home alone.
Jacob Calero and his wife Michelle De La Vega left 9 year old Joshua to babysit his 5 year old autistic brother while the two went on their trip. They did, however, worry about leaving their new puppies alone, which they got each other for Christmas. They took the dogs to De La Vega’s mother to dogsit.
The children’s maternal grandmother, Libbey Holden, who lives about 35 miles away, suspected the boys were left alone and alerted the police.
From Chron.com:
“I thought they loved them more than us,” Joshua told The Associated Press during an interview at his maternal grandmother’s apartment. The children’s mother died in 2003. He added that he and his brother ate cereal for breakfast and cooked frozen dinners in the microwave.
The police found the children at home alone the night after the father and step-mother left, and even though that’s when the police started calling Calero, he didnt return their calls until three days later.
Upon their return home, Calero and De La Vega were arrested on suspicion of two felony counts each of child endangerment. Bail was set at $200,000.
In my opinion, the couple should be left in jail until they are both past child-bearing age, and the children should be left in the care of the maternal grandmother, if she is able. At least she was worried enough about the brothers to call the police. If the grandmother is not able, then the children should be placed for adoption, with the grandmother having visitation rights.
What do you think would be fair punishment, in this case?
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