Brockville, Ont. parents charged after 2 young children found left alone for hours

A Brockville Police Service patch. (Nate Vandermeer / CTV News Ottawa)

Brockville police say two parents are facing charges after two young children were found abandoned in an apartment building.

Police were called to the building in the Kensington Parkway area at around 6 a.m. Tuesday on reports a four-year-old was naked and lying in the hallway. Police determined the child lived in the building and, upon finding the child’s apartment, found a seven-year-old alone inside, who had been without supervision for several hours.

“The residence was observed to be in appalling condition. Children and Family Services were notified and attended to assist with the investigation,” Brockville police said.

The parents, a 34-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman, were found. Police learned the pair had been separated and commonly left the children alone in the apartment, according to a news release.

“Police also learned that one of the children was routinely locked in a bedroom to prevent them from exiting. This raised further safety concerns, particularly in the event of an emergency within the building,” police said.

Both parents were arrested and are each facing charges of abandoning a child, forcible confinement and failure to provide the necessaries of life.

Their identities were not released.

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