A pair of teenage brothers slept on the front porch of their Detroit home for months as temperatures dropped — despite their parents’ best efforts to convince them to come inside.
Growing concern and questions are revolving around the strange situation in which both the brothers and sisters wrapped themselves in blankets and wore winter coats while sleeping in front of the house.
Due to sleeping arrangements, a local freelance journalist also stopped by the house two weeks ago to see if they needed help.
But authorities said Monday that the brothers, ages 12 and 15, preferred to sleep outside, and could go indoors whenever they wanted. Fox 2 reported.
According to the station, they were not being punished, and their parents had tried to get their children into therapy in hopes of convincing them to sleep under their roof. The older child is reportedly facing assault and battery charges pending in juvenile court.
“They wanted to sleep there, that’s what they told the neighbors, that’s what they told everyone who tried to help them,” Detroit Police Commander Rebecca Mackey told the station.
“Parents, they don’t want them on the porch, but they’re not going to give a 6-foot-5, 220-pound, 15-year-old a chance to fight or get into a physical altercation,” she said.
According to the outlet, the brothers are currently sleeping over at a family friend’s house.
Detroit police began investigating this month after neighbors began raising concerns about the messy situation.
Both of them started sleeping on the veranda as neighbors in the summer. told Fox 2.
“It hurts to go to sleep every night and know these kids are out there,” Kiara Collins said Dec. 2.
“In July, the temperature was 80-90 degrees. Now it is 20 degrees,” she said. “You know what I’m saying? So something needs to be done.”
Mark D’Andre, a prominent freelance journalist from Michigan City, visited the home on November 30 to check on the children and Livestreamed the conversation.
When they asked if they were OK, one boy replied, “We’re good.”
The parents are not expected to face any charges following the investigation.
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