Police found 5 starving children alone at home without food, electricity or a working toilet but their parents went out for dinner

A Florida couple, Sanel Canovic, 40, and Azra Nikocevic, 33, were arrested after police allegedly found their five children living in a home without food, electricity, or a working toilet.

The investigation began when a passerby spotted a 6-year-old boy crossing a busy street alone in Miami Beach and called 911... Continue reading here ▶

The child led officers to his nearby apartment, where they discovered four other children, all under 12, living in terrible conditions.

According to police, the home had no electricity or working toilet, and the children had not eaten in over 12 hours.

The toilet was filled with feces, and the children were forced to use soiled rags since there was no toilet paper. They were wearing dirty clothes and smelled of urine. The children said they had been living without electricity for about two months.

The oldest child explained that they usually ate at school, but since it was Christmas break, they often went hungry.

The mother reportedly left them $20 for food at McDonald’s before going to work, but there was no way to ensure they actually ate.

Police reported that the parents often ate dinner together without feeding their children and frequently left them alone at home.

When officers contacted Nikocevic, she admitted the electricity had been off for six weeks due to unpaid bills and confirmed giving her kids $20 for food. Canovic arrived at the police station but refused to speak without a lawyer.

Canovic was taken to the Miami-Dade Corrections facility and held on a $7,500 bond, while Nikocevic was released on her own recognizance. Both parents are facing five counts of child neglect, and their next court date is scheduled for January 30.