IGH Couple Charged With Child Neglect

An Inver Grove Heights husband and wife have been charged with child neglect after police and a neighbor allegedly discovered the woman’s three sons were left home alone after midnight.

A Dakota County District Court summons says the boys—ages 3, 5 and 9—allegedly were left by themselves last November while the couple drove to Rush City, some 60 miles north of Inver Grove Heights.

Elisha Marie Coleman, 29, and Patrick Roy Coleman, 26, were charged with neglect of a child, which is a gross misdemeanor. If convicted, each could face up to a fine of $3,000 and up to one year in jail.

According to Dakota County District Court documents:

A neighbor was walking her dog shortly after midnight Nov. 3 when she spotted a toddler boy at the end of a driveway. When asked where his parents were, the boy reportedly said, “All gone.” The neighbor and the boy went into the boy’s home and found no adults.

Inver Grove Heights Police were called, and the boy showed officers where his older brothers were sleeping. The oldest boy said he thought his parents were sleeping. He then helped police locate a telephone number for his biological father, who reportedly identified the mother of all three boys as Elisha Coleman and the father of the two younger boys as Patrick Coleman.

The oldest boy was placed for the night with his biological father, while the two other boys went to stay with their paternal grandparents.

When the Colemans arrived home, they allegedly told police that a person named “Sarah” was hired to babysit the boys and apparently went home. They then told Child Protection they did not hire anyone and left the boys alone.

As of Tuesday morning, an exact date for the couple’s first appearance in Dakota County District Court had not be set.

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