Children Found Boarded Up In Tulsa Home, Police Investigate

Investigators are still trying to figure out how long four children were left boarded up in an East Tulsa home. Police have not arrested the parents, who could face child neglect charges.

Investigators said could have been anywhere from just days - to several months - that the young children lived in the home with little to no supervision.

Four children under the age of 12 were boarded up and left in a home to fend for themselves. Neighbors called police when one of the children was seen riding his bike up and down the street around 5 a.m. Friday, June 23.

The officers who responded initially actually had to kick in the doors to get inside the house and then to get inside the rooms where the kids were because they were roped off.

Investigators are still trying to figure out just how long this living situation went on. They say during interviews with the kids, they insinuated they'd been living in a separate home than their parents anywhere between two days and four months.  

6/24/2017 Related Story: Police: Children Found Alone In Tulsa Home Safe With Relatives
 
"So we just don't know how long it's been," said Corporal Mark Kraft, Tulsa Police Department.
 
However, they say it appears the kids weren't alone all the time and that they had certain times of day someone would come feed them. 
 
"They appeared to be relatively healthy; they hadn't been physically abused; none of them disclosed physical abuse in their interviews," Kraft said.
 
Right now investigators are waiting to talk to the parents to try to find out exactly how this happened.

"It's just scary what people will do to their kids sometimes," said TPD Corporal Mark Kraft. 

They say four other children even younger were found living with the parents at their home and have also been taken by Department of Human Services.

All eight children are with family members. Investigators said they plan to interview the parents Tuesday, June 27.