A set of 9-year-old New Hampshire twins were left home alone for months, only checked on
periodically by an uncle, CNN reported this week.
Giobari Atura, who was supposed to be watching the boys while his brother and sister-in-law traveled to Nigeria, has been charged with a misdemeanor count of endangering a child, according to CNN. But instead of living with the boys, he just checked on them a few times a week, leaving them basically alone for four to five months.
The children’s parents were reportedly held up in Nigeria and did not return until they were notified their children were not being cared for, CNN said. They now have custody of the boys.
In an affidavit, the children told officials that they would "wake for school on their own, get ready for school, get on the bus and eat breakfast and lunch at school."
When police went to the children’s apartment after being contacted by school officials, they found no food in the refrigerator, ramen noodles in the cabinets and no working telephone, CNN said.
One of the twins told police that "he felt lonely while staying at their own house because his mom and dad were not there and nobody was with them,"
according to the affidavit quoted by The Associated Press.
When police talked to the boys’ parents, they were told that Atura was supposed to stay at the apartment and if he wasn’t available to do so, he could call a family friend who would help out.
The AP said the parents are not expected to be charged because they had arranged for Atura to care for the children. The parents told police that they had talked to Atura by phone and were told everything was fine.
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