DELTONA, Fla. – A Deltona man was arrested Wednesday, accused of child neglect after two toddlers were found wandering in a Walmart parking lot in nothing but diapers.
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said witnesses saw the two children running in the parking lot of the Walmart on Howland Boulevard in Deltona that evening. One witness said the unattended children were almost hit by a car.
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Walmart staff members dressed the children and cared for them until deputies arrived, according to an incident report. They appeared to be unharmed, deputies said.
Deputies located a vehicle still running in the parking lot, and a man — identified as Dejoune Killingbeck, 35 — unconscious behind the wheel. Deputies were able to wake Killingbeck, who they said told them he was supposed to be watching the children for their mother, who went inside the store.
After Killingbeck was cleared by Volusia medics, deputies say he was taken to a patrol vehicle where he attempted to throw away a cut straw. Deputies said they retrieved it, and that a field test showed residue on the straw had presumptive positive reactions for oxycodone and fentanyl.
Deputies said the mother of the children told them that she was unaware Killingbeck was intoxicated, and he had agreed to watch the children, who were asleep at the time.
Killingbeck faces charges of tampering with evidence, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving with a license that was suspended and two counts of child neglect. He was booked at the Volusia County Jail and is held there on $16,000 bond.
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