ROCK HILL, S.C. — Officials said an 8-year-old boy wandered along busy Cherry Street in Rock Hill Sunday night, flagged down a police officer and said he needed help watching his four younger siblings, who were all left home alone.
The oldest child was on the phone with his mother, and she was at work and stunned to learn her boyfriend wasn't there.
The investigating officer said the child walking alone down Cherry Road appeared distraught.
Rock Hill police Capt. Mark Bollinger said without the boy alerting authorities, they may have never known, and it is something no child should have to do.
"A child that is (8 years old) should be worried about playing watching TV, having fun with his brothers and sisters," Bollinger said.
There was no food in the house and nothing for the children to drink, but there were beer bottles scattered around. The children hadn't had a meal in hours, officials said.
A 2-year-old child was walking around with no diaper and there was human waste on the floor.
"Any case involving a child just tears at your heart string," Bollinger said.
The children said their father, Clifton Greene, had been drinking all day and left home.
The officer called for reinforcements to help the children.
"They were helping get food together and apparently the dad came back from the store and had gone to get some food," Bollinger said.
He said the hungry children tore open the bags.
Police said it was good that Greene got food, but he should not have left the children.
"He wasn't providing a clean environment for the children to live in," Bollinger said.
He faces five felony counts and the mother will not be charged, police said.
Social workers left the children in the care of another adult relative.
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