An Oil City couple have been charged with endangering the welfare of children after police found five young children running around outside their home and the parents absent.
Autumn Doyle, 28, and Richard Ware Jr., 34, were charged after multiple reports had been received that the couple left their children unsupervised for long periods of time, according to a criminal complaint filed by Oil City police.
Children and Youth Services received a report from a neighbor of the couple on Sept. 10 that the five children, who are between the ages of 3 and 10, go for long periods of time without parental supervision, the complaint said.
The neighbor said one child was nearly struck by a vehicle while riding a bike on the roadway, and the children are frequently truant from school, the complaint said.
When a caseworker investigated the claims the next day, Doyle and Ware denied the claims, the complaint said.
The couple were warned that if the neighbor’s claims were validated or future similar reports resulted in a response from Oil City police, they could be arrested for endangering the welfare of their children, the complaint said.
On Tuesday, a “concerned citizen” called Oil City police and told them several small children were running around outside playing and the parents were not home, according to the complaint. The caller added that this behavior happens “quite frequently,” the complaint said.
When police arrived, a 10-year-old boy who was left in charge said he didn’t know where his parents were, according to the complaint.
The officer determined the five children were left unsupervised for about 40 minutes before their mother returned and the children had no way to contact their parents in case of an emergency, the complaint said.
Her three-year-old son asked why and she replied that it was because she was not supposed to leave them alone that morning, the complaint said.
Her son replied, “But mommy, you leave us alone all the time,” according to the complaint.
Doyle and Ware were both charged with a felony count of endangering the welfare of children.
Doyle was arraigned Tuesday before district judge Andrew Fish and placed in the Venango County jail.
Ware had not been located as of late Tuesday afternoon.
