Photo: Scott Olson / Getty Images
By: EFE
Monday, October 7
Colorado couple arrested for abandoning their five children in a hotel
DENVER, Colorado – A Colorado couple was arrested and charged with child abuse after leaving their five children abandoned for almost a week in a hotel in Greeley, in a case in which there was already a restraining order against the father, reported this Friday the Police Department of that city.
According to the arrest warrant against Víctor Benavente and his wife, Brooke, the couple would have met last 20 July after the man complied with a conviction in the Larimer County Jail. However, that meeting should not have taken place, due to a court order that requires Benavente not to approach his partner.
The next day, The Benaventes spent a night in a Fort Collins hotel with their five children (of 16, 14 , 10, 7 and 4 years ) and the next day they moved to another hotel, in downtown Greeley.
The minors remained there alone inside the room until 27 of July when the police intervened after receiving a call from the older sister of the five children, who in turn had been contacted by one of his brothers to let him know of the situation.
The sister who called the authorities said she did it because her parents did not respond to her numerous phone calls and why she he believed his brothers were going to be evicted from the hotel room.
The Benaventes’ arrest warrant reveals that around midnight on 26 July the older sister spoke with a police officer to give her the name of her parents and the address of the hotel where her brothers were.
When the Police arrived at the hotel room, the minors informed them that their parents had not come to see them since they left them, except for one occasion when Brooke Benavente brought 40 dollars and gave them to one of her daughters, but without entering the room.
While a police officer was driving the children to the Greeley Police Station, where they were waited for by a trab social worker to be transferred to a temporary home, another agent detected the Benaventes in a car near the hotel where the minors were. Both were arrested without incident.
Each of the Benavente faces five counts of child abuse, while Victor must also answer for the breach of the order not to approach his wife.
In Colorado, the law indicates that those older than 12 years can stay alone, but inside their houses and for a maximum of three hours, and never overnight. And although those between 13 to 16 years may staying alone for up to two nights, it could still be child abuse depending on the child’s ability to respond to problems or emergencies.