Ohio Mother Sentenced for Leaving Kids Alone During Miami Trip

Dominique Knowles left her three young children unsupervised for days to support a friend undergoing surgery in Florida.

Dominique Knowles was convicted of child endangerment after leaving her children, including two special needs daughters, alone in Ohio while she traveled to Miami.
The children, aged 7 and 10, were found in a disordered apartment without a means to contact their mother, relying on sporadic communication via Nest cameras and a MacBook tablet.
A teacher's concern prompted a welfare check, revealing unsanitary living conditions and unsecured access points in the home.
Knowles claimed she was in Miami to support a friend's liposuction surgery, despite initially denying she left Ohio.
She received a sentence of five years probation, 360 days of house arrest, and was ordered to attend parenting classes and mental health counseling.