On May 24, around 2:00 PM, officers of the Riga Municipal Police checked an apartment in the city center at the request of the Orphan's Court, where the child was presumed to be in inappropriate conditions.
Upon arriving at the specified address, the police knocked on the door. Behind it, loud barking of dogs could be heard, and after a while, an 11-year-old girl opened the door. During the conversation, it became clear that the child had been home alone for about a day — without adult supervision.
Upon inspecting the apartment, the police officers discovered that along with the girl, there were four large dogs and a cat in the premises. The apartment itself was found to be in unsanitary conditions: dirty surfaces, animal feces on the floor, and a refrigerator filled with expired food products.
Attempts to contact the child's parents did not yield immediate results — they were only able to reach the grandmother, who stated that the girl's mother would be able to get in touch only after a few hours.
Considering the circumstances and living conditions, a decision was made to take the girl to a crisis center to ensure her a safe environment.
Meanwhile, a second police crew arrived at the scene, as the child did not have keys to the apartment. The police officers stayed to monitor the residence, as well as to feed the animals and provide them with water, which they lacked.
Later, the girl's mother returned home. A conversation was held with her, and an administrative process was initiated regarding the violations of animal care regulations. The issue of the mother's responsibility for possible inadequate fulfillment of her duties in caring for the child will be further assessed by the juvenile delinquency prevention department. The information will also be forwarded to the Social Service and the Orphan's Court.
