Isn't this Sad?

[Jinx55]

By JULIANA BARBASSA, Associated Press Writer
Thu Jan 5, 12:03 AM ET



MANTECA, Calif. - A married couple who got a dog sitter for their puppies but left the man's young children home alone while they vacationed in Las Vegas were arrested Wednesday, police said.


Jacob Calero, 39, and Michelle De La Vega, 32, were taken into custody as they arrived home on a flight to Oakland. They had left town Friday to celebrate the new year, authorities said.

The couple apparently told 9-year-old Joshua to look after his 5-year-brother, Jason, who is autistic. The children spent one night alone before police found them.

The grandmother, Libbey Holden, said she called police because she had suspected the couple left the children at home in San Ramon, about 35 miles east of San Francisco.

"I had big concerns," Holden said. "These kids are helpless."

Joshua said his father and stepmother got each other puppies for Christmas, which they brought to De La Vega's mother to care for before leaving town.

"I thought they loved them more than us," Joshua told The Associated Press during an interview at his maternal grandmother's apartment. The children's mother died in 2003.

He added that he and his brother ate cereal for breakfast and cooked frozen dinners in the microwave.

"I didn't know who I could call in an emergency. Even if I called my father, he's far away, so there wouldn't be much he could do,"

Calero and De La Vega each were being held on suspicion of two felony counts each of child endangerment. Bail was set at $200,000.

Police found the children asleep in their beds Saturday night. A gas fireplace was on, but they found nothing out of the ordinary.

"It appears that the food and the environment were set up for them to be alone," San Ramon Police Sgt. Brian Kalinowski said.

Officers began calling Calero's cell phone Saturday, but he didn't call back until Tuesday. "We get the sense that they felt no urgency for them to return home," Kalinowski said.

Calero and De La Vega have requested lawyers and have refused to talk to police, Kalinowski said. Felony child endangerment carries a maximum sentence of six years in prison.

Calero is a plumber and De La Vega works in a dental office, police said.

[holly222]

I just finished reading that on the fox news page, its pretty bad when you get a sitter for the dogs but not your kids.......
I go overboard with my kids.......they have never been left with anyone that isnt a relitive, and I drive my girl to school and pick her up.  I wont let her ride the bus because of us living in the big city...

[butch1286]

ooooohhhhh!  >:(  People like that should not be able to have kids. How dare they. They should be locked up without being able to end for themselves. I hope the kids will be okay now.

[nanners]

I want to go give those poor kids a big hug and a kiss. . Some people just don't deserve kids.  :(

[*~Peri~*]

That IS sad.. So many people cannot have kids & yet, these morons can have 2!  >:( >:(

[Tamelia]

It's disgusting what these people did...

On a related note..I have a friend who's now divorced..Anyways when their son (who is 9 days younger then my son) was about 6 months old, his soft spot grew over. She took him to the doctor in oct or nov of that year, and he said he needed to have surgery to remove part of the bone to keep from having brain damage. So she goes home, tells her husband and he says that the surgery can wait until after christmas..He didn't want it to ruin the holidays! >:(

What are holidays if your kids aren't healthy?? I think some people should be spayed and nuetered! I'd love to have a houseful of kids, but only have the 1...And I'm grateful for everyday he's around...

[justahumping]

Both stories are sad. I love kids and can not see why some people treats their kids like they do

[River Tam]

I agree.

It just makes me nuts hearing some of the stories about kids being left home alone while their parents went here or there.  It wasn't until I was 12 that I got keys to our house and was allowed to be alone in the house after school...even though it was only for an hour or two.  And my parents didn't leave my sister and I alone overnight until I was just about out of high school when they were both part of a retreat weekend 30 minutes away from home.

And then I hear about parents leaving their kids overnight at age 10 or even 12.  Or a story like this where the parents made sure the pets were taken care of, but not the kids.  Why not take the kids over to where the puppies were?

Though I am very happy that the kids were okay....other then being scared if something serious happened.

[adamsmom]

That is really messed up about the pets.... I hope they never get to see their kids ever again, if they didnt want to care for them on New Years then they dont deserve them ever....

[tigereyes]

This story is really sad. I don't know why people do this. I would never leave my kids alone. It's really sad how they got the sitter for the dogs but didn't even think to get one for this kids. That is just messed up.

[Shady Lady]

OMG ... some people are so self-centered. These people only thought of what they wanted to do. When you have children, it is your responsibility to put them first. I just hope that they make sure that they have the safety and security they will need to grow up happy and healthy.

[RowdyOne]

Looks like those parents would rather have fun then take on parental roles which is pathetic to say the least.

[time2startagain]

sounds like my hubby's ex wife. she works at a hospital and they have two kids one age 13 and the other 14. she has left them home alone over night for the past 3 years now when she has to work the over night shift.  her shifts are about 12 hours long.. and guess what. in our state & the town she lives in they said there is nothing wrong with that as long as they can use a microwave and are off the streets by 10 pm during sun- thursday. and midnight from friday to sat night..  i think that is wrong.  if i left my daughter home for more than 15 minutes and my dad was to find out my butt would be grass. lol..  just thought i would add my two cents in .. if you all dont mind lmao.

[pogohatesme]

sounds like my hubby's ex wife. she works at a hospital and they have two kids one age 13 and the other 14. she has left them home alone over night for the past 3 years now when she has to work the over night shift.  her shifts are about 12 hours long.. and guess what. in our state & the town she lives in they said there is nothing wrong with that as long as they can use a microwave and are off the streets by 10 pm during sun- thursday. and midnight from friday to sat night..  i think that is wrong.  if i left my daughter home for more than 15 minutes and my dad was to find out my butt would be grass. lol..  just thought i would add my two cents in .. if you all dont mind lmao.

No offense but I think there's a big difference between a 13 and 14 year old and the 9 and 5 year old.....My parents started leaving my brother and I home alone around 9 or 10.  And before anyone gets started on them, I had wonderful parents.  They didn't do it to abuse us.  I really think it depends on the child.  If you have a mature child, I don't think you have to worry about them doing stupid stuff when they don't have any supervision.  I know that still leaves other areas(ie: emergencies, fires, burglaries, etc.) but if you raise your kids right and they know what to do in any type of situation, then you may just be overreacting about leaving them alone.

[time2startagain]

she started leavig them home alone over night 3 YEARS AGO....  and they arent mature at all.. my point being.. ...........   9 and 10 year olds really shouldnt be left home alone over night..  yes.. now they are 13 and 14. well maybe i should have just kept my mouth shut... THANKS.  i know that for next time.

[badgeaddict]

id be happy if my parents left me alone id be eating subway and playing pogo lmao

[kgansor]

mmm subway, i just had chinese today and theres a subway right beside the place so i had a tough decision but i had more of a craving for sweet and sour chicken :P

[*Angel*]

What makes me more upset about this story is that the 5-year-old has autism.  I have a 6-year-old son with autism, and I am 27.  I get stressed dealing with him sometimes, so my question is how could a 9-year-old deal with it? 

Some people need to learn to use birth control.

[kgansor]

i agree that people need to learn about birth control. especially young girls, its free if you are under 18 and they wont tell your parents, so many teen pregnancys could be prevented if people werent so stupid.

[*Angel*]

i agree that people need to learn about birth control. especially young girls, its free if you are under 18 and they wont tell your parents, so many teen pregnancys could be prevented if people werent so stupid.

I am by far perfect and I did make mistakes when I was younger.  I wasn't thinking back then.  I used to say nothing bad is going to happen to me.  Well you could only go on with that philosophy for so long. 

We can't just blame the girls either.  These young boys can also get condoms for free at any Planned Parenthood.   ;)