Port St. Lucie woman arrested after leaving four children at home to pick up food

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Getting Chinese takeout food isn't normally a crime, but police say when 32-year-old Emilene Delva left her four kids, including a ten-month-old baby, home alone to get that takeout, it turned into a case of child neglect.

"The most chilling part is leaving all the kids sleeping, no adult supervision, and a ten-month-old child laying on the bed, no barriers to support him from falling off," says Tom Nichols, a spokesperson for Port St. Lucie police.

It all started when the woman's husband, who is currently living elsewhere, drove by the Port St. Lucie home to check on things. He called 911 when he realized no one was home with the kids.

"The police came to the house and shortly afterward the mother arrived," says Nichols.

When confronted by officers, Delva told them she was only gone for five minutes and all the kids, the oldest being 11, were asleep.

After checking with the Chinese restaurant, the two stories didn't match up because workers there said she walked in, placed the order, and was there at least 20 minutes.

Delva was released from jail over the weekend, and DCF was notified. The children are back in her care.