Jerami Wells. Contributed photo.
A Masury man has been charged with two counts of endangering children for leaving a 5-year-old boy and a 2-year-old girl home alone, Brookfield police said.
Jerami D. Wells, 33, of 8119 Addison Road, faces a preliminary hearing March 28 in Trumbull County Eastern District Court.
Brookfield police said they were called at about 5:40 p.m. March 20 to Wells’ apartment complex with a report of a child running through the parking lot.
A neighbor told police she saw the 5-year-old boy, who was not wearing shoes, socks or a coat in windy 35-degree weather, police said. The neighbor went to the apartment where the child lives and found the door open, the screen door unlatched and music blaring, police said. The neighbor unsuccessfully tried to make contact with the father, Wells, for about 20 minutes, police said.
After police arrived, Wells was seen walking on Addison toward the apartments, police said. Wells said he had left the kids at home for “roughly five to 10 minutes” so he could walk to a business on South Irvine Avenue, police said.
With Wells’ permission, police entered his apartment to check on the girl, police said.
Police said they asked Wells if he knew why it was not acceptable to leave the kids home alone. “Wells advised, ‘No,’” police said.
The children were turned over to their mother, police said.
Wells was charged with felonies because he was convicted in 2021 of child endangerment, police said.
