Omaha Children Locked & Unfed For Months, Parents Face Abuse Charges

A young girl, 9, saved her two younger brothers -- 2 and 4 years old -- who were locked up by their parents in their home.

According to WOWT.com, the couples Venancio Vazques, 37, and Martha Navarro, 33, were identified as the parents of the children. Both of them are facing three counts of felony abuse and might spend the next fifteen years of their life in jail.

The arraignment happened last Friday, where a criminal complaint was filed against each parent. The complaint stated that between March and June, both parents "knowingly and intentionally cause or permit a minor child to be placed in a situation that endangers his or her life of physical mental health," KETV reports.

The couple admitted that they did it so they can go to work.

The incident occurred at the family's mobile home. According to the neighbors of the family, as listed in a court document, they used to see the boys coming outside to play. However, several months had passed and neither one of the boys were seen, notes KETV.

The abuse could have continued, if not for the boys' older sister, who reported the incident to her school.  Nebraska law requires anyone suspecting child abuse or negligence to report it to the authority. The state believes that the entire community is responsible for protecting children.

Lisa Blunt, C.O.O. of Omaha's Child Institute said, "If you are aware that  a child may be harmed, abused, or neglected, and if you fail to report it, you in effect are guilty of neglect yourself because you failed to follow the steps necessary  to ensure that child's safety", WOWT.com reports.

The young girl described how her parents left her younger brothers at home during the school year. After hearing the young girl's confession, the school contacted authorities to take action and save the two boys.

Last Wednesday, the Omaha Police responded to the report. They arrived at a mobile home, which was chained and locked with a padlock. They heard children inside and broke their way to enter the home, to find the two boys naked and without food or water, WOWT.com notes.

Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine was all praises to the young girl's dauntlessness. He said, "She had a lot of courage and she did the right thing. She probably saved those children's lives, " WOWT.com reports.

It is not the first time the couple neglected their children. A similar incident happened last 2013, which convicted Navarro for misdemeanor child neglect.