Mother Convicted for Leaving Kids Home Alone During Florida Vacation
The FOX 8 I-Team has reported that sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday for Dominique Knowles, a Westlake mother convicted of leaving her children home alone while she vacationed in Florida.
According to a journal entry from the Rocky River Municipal Court, Knowles was found guilty on two counts of endangering children. On October 9, she chose to have her case heard by Judge Joseph Burke rather than a jury. In his ruling, Judge Burke emphasized that the key issue was not whether her two 7-year-old daughters were fed and clothed during her absence but whether leaving them with their 10-year-old sister posed a substantial risk of harm due to a lack of adult supervision. His conclusion was clear: “The answer is a resounding yes.”
The incident occurred in February when the three girls were left home alone. The situation came to light after a concerned teacher contacted the police to request a welfare check on the children.
Furthermore, the court documents revealed that Knowles initially told a detective she was not out of state. However, police were able to subpoena her cell phone records, which indicated she made or received 50 calls in the Miami area from February 21 to February 23.
