Stepdad 'in a rush' abandoned 6-year-old outside empty apartment, leaving boy to seek help from strangers at Family Dollar: Police

Inset: Ricindy Seaphin (Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center). Background: The area in Florida where Seaphin allegedly left his 6-year-old stepson (Google Maps).

A 32-year-old stepdad in Florida is accused of leaving his 6-year-old stepson alone outside his mother's apartment after picking him up from school, despite knowing she would not be home, telling authorities that he was "in a rush."

Ricindy Seaphin was arrested Tuesday evening and charged with one count of child neglect without great bodily harm, according to police records.

Officers with the North Miami Police Department responded to the apartment complex on Memorial Highway at 6:42 p.m. regarding a report of a young child being left without adult supervision. Investigators determined Seaphin had been responsible for the child's care as he had picked the boy up from school and brought him to the apartment complex.

The boy's mother had asked Seaphin to pick the boy up from school and previously told him that she would not be home, the affidavit says.

Instead of walking the child to the apartment and making sure a responsible adult was there, Seaphin "intentionally dropped the six-year-old victim off in front of the apartment complex and left the location," police said in the probable cause affidavit.

"The victim then left the apartment complex and walked to the Family Dollar located at 280 NE 135th Street, where he approached unknown individuals and asked for help and for someone to contact the police," the affidavit states. "A witness located the victim and assisted him back to his apartment. After determining that no one was inside the apartment, the witness remained with the victim, provided him with food and care, and contacted law enforcement."

Seaphin later arrived at the apartment complex and agreed to speak with officers after being advised of his Miranda rights.

"The defendant admitted that he was in a rush and intentionally dropped the victim off in front of the apartment complex without verifying that anyone was home," police wrote in the affidavit. "The defendant further admitted that he normally walks the victim to the apartment door and turns him over to his mother but failed to do so on this occasion."

Police determined that Seaphin dropped the child off at the empty apartment around 3:20 p.m. The witness did not find him until about 4:15 p.m., meaning the 6-year-old was unaccompanied by an adult for roughly 55 minutes.

Following the interview, officers arrested Seaphin and took him to the North Miami Police Department for processing before transporting him to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. He was released after posting bond of $2,500, records show.