A 34-year-old woman from Miami Beach has been taken into custody on charges of child neglect after police discovered her two young children left alone in an apartment under deplorable conditions, swarming with insects.
According to the arrest report accessed by Local 10, the incident came to light when Miriam Shvetz's former husband reached out to authorities. He had left their children, aged 5 and 9, at home, only to be informed by them that their mother was absent. Meanwhile, their third child, aged 7, was attending school.
Upon arriving at the scene, an officer heard one of the children crying during a video call with Shvetz. She confessed she wasn't at home because she "had things to do." The officers described the apartment as uninhabitable, noting a pervasive stench of rotting food and urine, filthy walls and floors, fecal matter in the bathroom, a clogged toilet, and dishes with food remnants crawling with insects.
The investigation further uncovered that Shvetz had failed to enroll the two older children in school and had expressed to her ex-husband a lack of intention to do so. The father, who has been embroiled in a custody battle with her since 2023, informed authorities that he has already initiated the enrollment process for the children.
Shvetz was subsequently taken to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where she remains held on a $5,000 bond.
Child Neglect Case in Miami Beach: Key Questions Answered
What were the living conditions found in the apartment?
The apartment was described as uninhabitable, with a strong smell of rotting food and urine, dirty walls and floors, feces in the bathroom, a clogged toilet, and dishes covered in food remnants and insects.
Why were the children left alone?
The mother, Miriam Shvetz, was not at home because she claimed she "had things to do," leaving her two young children unattended in the apartment.
What legal actions have been taken against Miriam Shvetz?
Miriam Shvetz has been arrested on charges of child neglect and is being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center with a bond set at $5,000.