In Miami-Dade, two children raised alarms among family members after going days without food and being confined to their rooms, leading to the arrest of their father on charges of child neglect.
The arrested individual, identified as 40-year-old Wendy Louis, was taken into custody on Tuesday by officers from the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office following a welfare check that exposed the conditions under which he allegedly kept his children.
According to a police report cited by NBC6 South Florida, Louis refused to feed the children because he believed the government was contaminating the food with "things."
The children informed investigators that they endured days without food, only having access to shower water, and were confined to their rooms. They were forced to use a bucket as they were not allowed to use the bathroom.
Officers described the children as exceptionally small and thin for their age, with unkempt and tangled hair, as reported by Local 10.
Authorities have not disclosed the ages of the children.
According to the police report, the children had not attended school since August 2025, when their father withdrew them from classes. They were also not receiving any form of home education.
Louis chose not to answer officers' questions during the investigation, as noted in the police report.
He was transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where he faces two charges of child neglect without serious bodily harm.
Records also indicate that Louis had an outstanding arrest warrant related to previous charges of domestic violence and resisting an officer without violence.
During his court appearance on Wednesday, a judge set bail at $5,000 and ordered him to stay away from his children, according to NBC6.
Key Questions About the Miami Child Neglect Case
What charges is Wendy Louis facing?
Wendy Louis is facing two charges of child neglect without serious bodily harm, as well as having an outstanding warrant for domestic violence and resisting an officer without violence.
Why did Louis allegedly not feed his children?
He allegedly believed that the government was contaminating the food with harmful substances, which led him to withhold food from his children.