Infant Left Home Alone With Crack/Dad, Bobby Sims, Who Left Kids In Home With Crack Arrested

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UPDATED: 7:20 pm EDT June 17, 2010

A convicted felon is being sought after his children were found home alone and hungry, police said.
Apopka police said a neighbor at the Palm Key Apartments called after the 6-year-old knocked on his door and said he wanted food.

Police said the boy and his infant brother had been left unattended for more than four hours with crack cocaine in plain view in their apartment.

Bobby Lamaar Sims, 25, is the father of the kids. Police said they have contacted him by phone, but would like to speak to him in person.

"He was contacted by phone by our chief and the father said, 'You know, you guys are going to have to do your jobs, come and get me.' So at this time, he is not wanting to cooperate," Steven Popp of Apopka police said.

The children's mother, a corrections officer at the Juvenile Detention Center, said she had no idea about the drugs and was upset when she came home, police said. She said Sims was in charge of the kids.

"And the father's response was, 'Well, did my child die?' and he was told no, and at that point dad said, 'Well, I'm going to beat this,' " Popp said.

Both children were taken to the hospital to be evaluated. Police said the youngest boy was congested and they were concerned about his breathing.

The children's mother has not been charged. Police said the father has been arrested more than 30 times and is currently on probation for possession of cocaine.

The Department of Children and Families is investigating.

Posted: 5:09 pm EDT June 17, 2010
Updated: 12:55 am EDT June 18, 2010

APOPKA, Fla. -- Police in Apopka had no idea a 6-year-old boy was home alone with a sick baby and illegal drugs, until the boy begged a neighbor for food.
On Thursday night, Apopka police obtained an arrest warrant for the kids' father, Bobby Sims.

Sims has been arrested 30 times, and when the police chief called him Thursday, investigators say he was out selling drugs. Apopka's deputy police chief, with the help of apartment managers, was able to talk to Sims on the phone. Sims, according to the chief, said "Do your job, come get me."

The 6-year-old and the 4-month-old were found in a unit at the Palm Key Apartments. Also in the unit was a razor blade used for cutting up crack cocaine and evidence crack had been cooked in the microwave.
WFTV found out the mother of the children, Tiffany Lewis, works at a juvenile detention center. Since 2005, the state has investigated her twice for allegations of inadequate supervision of her oldest child. She wouldn't talk to WFTV but investigators say she was at work at the time they found her kids.
“It's hard for us to believe mom had no knowledge of what was going on in her apartment,” Apopka Police Spokesman, Steven Popp said.

Despite the evidence, a close family friend, who didn't want to be identified, defended both parents.
“But he left them
alone,” WFTV reporter Kenneth Moton said to the friend.
“I don't know, I know she is a fittable parent and all of this shouldn't be going on,” the friend said.

Police say for four to five hours, the child and baby sat in the apartment on Lake Bridge Lane while their 25-year-old father, Bobby Sims, was out selling drugs.
His 6-year-old son wandered over to a neighbor's apartment and asked for food.

The chief even told Sims over the phone his 4-month-old, who was sick, could have died.

“And the father said, ‘Well did he?’ and his response was that ‘I'm going to beat this.’ So it kind of goes to show the mentality of dad at this point,” Popp said.
Bobby Sims has been arrested 30 times in the past 12 years on charges of robbery, drugs, and running from police.

The children are being checked at Arnold Palmer Hospital and DCF is getting involved.

Video here:
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Mom Of Kids Left Home With Crack Faces Judge

Posted: 1:27 pm EDT June 18, 2010
Updated: 5:05 pm EDT June 18, 2010

APOPKA, Fla. -- Two young children were left home alone while their 25-year-old dad was out selling drugs, police said. Now, those kids have been taken away from their mother.

The mother is a corrections officer at the Orange County Juvenile Detention Center and the dad who left the 6-year-old and 4-month-old is still on the run; he faces charges of child neglect.

A judge says the children’s mother, Tiffany Lewis, knew the kids were living with crack cocaine in the house. That's why she lost custody of the children, as well.
In court Friday, Lewis claimed she did nothing wrong. Lewis said she left her kids with their father and went to work and had no idea there was crack cocaine in the house, but the judge still found probable cause to keep the kids away from her.

"This is clearly a dangerous environment for these children," the judge said.

Lewis was told she could only see her children under state supervision.

"The mother is not aware of any illegal drugs in her home," her attorney said.

State attorneys showed her snapshots of crack cocaine scattered around her home in baggies, right next to the baby formula. Apopka police took the pictures after they got a call that Lewis' 6-year-old son and sick 4-month-old son were home alone and hungry.
“Can you at least explain to us what...” WFTV reporter Q McCray tried to ask Lewis.
"No, get out of my face. Get out of my face!" she replied.

Lewis claimed in court her boyfriend, Bobby Sims Jr., was supposed to stay home with the kids. Police say he left to sell drugs. He's been arrested 30 times in the past and police say he told them, "Do your job, come get me" when they spoke to him over the phone.
Bobby Sims Sr. blamed his son and sides with his daughter-in-law.

"Do the right thing. Turn yourself in," he said.
The kids are in a group home now.
"Tiffany is the best mother, besides my mother, that I know. She does wonderful things for her children," Sims Sr. said.

DCF is investigating Sims Sr. and his wife to see if they are fit to take care of the children.

"Our next step is to complete the home study report and let the judge know they're a viable option or not," DCF Operations Manager Dawn Murray said.

The grandparents should know in the next 48 hours if they will get the kids. The parents’ arraignment is on July 9.

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This case is simply unreal! To think this woman worked for the State of Florida at a juvenile detention center and claims she had no clue about crack and razor blades all over the home and right next to the baby bottle? Give me a break!!

I feel so sorry for these children; in particular the 6 year old as he will probably never forget this. And, thank God the little 4 month old baby is alive.

I wonder if these family members will take the kids and be good to them. I pray this ass of a "father" turns himself in and/or they catch him soon. It sounds like to me that the slammer is his second home!

So with physical evidence of drugs in the home they cant charge the mother? This is completely and utterly outrageous. At least they got the children out of there.
Did they ask her if she fed her kids before she left for work? They need to lock her up as well and she shouldnt have the job she does either.

Posted: 5:37 pm EDT June 30, 2010
Updated: 5:52 pm EDT June 30, 2010
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ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- WFTV was there as Orange County deputies arrested a fugitive and father accused of leaving a child and a sick baby home alone with drugs.

RAW VIDEO: Suspect Arrested
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Bobby Sims had nothing to say while deputies walked him to a patrol car late Wednesday afternoon. He's been on the run nearly two weeks.

Investigators knew something was wrong when Sims’ 6-year-old son asked neighbors for food. The child's mother, an officer with the Orange County Juvenile Detention Center, had been at work at the time.

Sims is being questioned inside the police department with the children's mother, who is now also charged with child neglect and drug possession.

For nearly two weeks, investigators have searched for Bobby Sims Jr. after they said he left his two kids alone in an Apopka apartment with crack-cocaine and razor blades within reach.

WFTV was there Wednesday afternoon when cops nabbed him.

“Sir, did you leave those two kids alone with drugs? Do you have anything to say about that?” WFTV reporter Ryan Hughes asked.

Sims did not reply.

Sims refused to answer questions as he was led into a cruiser to be taken to the police department. Undercover detectives followed Sims and the children's mother, Tiffany Lewis, as they drove the streets of Apopka in a rental car.

“When they noticed we were here, they definitely tried to leave the area by foot fairly quickly. They by no means, complied with our orders,” Officer Steven Popp of the Apopka Police Department said.

Police said Lewis had drugs on her.

“She got out of the car, she had a handful of crack. As soon as she saw police, she threw it,” Popp said.

Earlier this month police said Lewis went to work and left the kids with Sims. He then left for at least four hours with no one around to watch the six-year-old and four-month-old.

“Do you care for those two kids…sir?”

Again there was no reply from Sims.

A police spokesman told WFTV the kids are in the custody of the state.

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