On August 20th, 2023, deputies in Flaggler County were called to CR 305 in Bunnel after motorists spotted a six-year-old girl walking alone in the road waving down cars. Witnesses had taken custody of the child until law enforcement arrived. >> She was going to come home with mom. She said she got jump dumped off at the junky house right there. She said she's been here since this morning. That's all we know. >> What's your mom's name? Sarah Walker. >> I live right down. >> Can we move off the street just for a second? >> I live. Yeah. I live right there. Do you want to do this at my house? This way she can hang out. I just made French toast. >> I live at 635. >> Yeah, I know where you just hang out right here for a second. >> Thank you. >> What's your name, Steve? >> Yeah. Everybody just off the road. I don't want to get by a car. >> Yeah. What's your name? >> You want to just like settle at my house quick for a few minutes? again. >> Juliet, >> Juliet. >> Hi. How are you? My name's Chris. >> That's my kid. >> I told you a cool doll. >> I could be here in two seconds. I promise you that one. >> Such a cool doll. >> What's her name? >> Oh my goodness. >> Hey, Julia, do you know where do you live? >> Um, >> do you know do you know the address of the street? >> In a new house. Where's >> the second new house? From from >> By from Papy? >> Yeah. He's my grandma. >> Isn't there any stores, you know, like Walmart or Target? >> No. >> Or any restaurants, you know? >> No. >> Do you live out this way somewhere, baby? >> No. Do you live in the country? I just went to go get No. Zero. And I see another one. >> So, what's your name? What's your last name? >> Walker. >> Walker. Jesus. >> Do you know your birthday? >> Um, in July. >> How old are you? >> I'm 6 years old. >> Oh my gosh. You're old as hell? >> Were you home alone? >> She got dropped off. >> You were home alone? >> Alone. >> In the middle. >> Yeah. She said they just dropped her off in the middle of the road. She was waving off waving her down in the road. At 11:20, a white female was located walking down CR 305 from the residence that was previously checked. Contact was made with the female identifying herself as Sarah Walker, the juvenile's mother. [Applause] >> You have any weapons or anything? No. What's your problem? I have my running marijuana license. This is I just this up. I can get it for you. Yeah. Officers spoke with the child's mother, who claimed she had been dropped off at a property by her ex-boyfriend while he went to work. She said the girl had been left sleeping inside but was gone when she returned. The mother gave shifting details about who was responsible, but her story raised more questions than answers, especially with her daughter not agreeing. >> How come your daughter would say otherwise? Well, there's no way I've not been out here again. I I'm not calling her a liar at all, but I've not I I just met this guy. This is somebody that So, >> that's that's where that's concerning to me. You just met somebody to look at furniture. What was the timeline that you last saw your kid? >> And I didn't check time before I went out into the garage. I know Bobby left at >> Left at what? I think around like 8:39 maybe. I didn't check the time. I just know that I could have been out there more than than an hour. Like >> looking at furniture in the garage for an hour. >> There's I mean you can look at there's a ton of stuff that you got like kids furniture and we me and all that stuff and you know I just she was sleeping and there's >> you're told about some guy that you don't know that he has furniture. >> So you leave to go to his You just trust the random guy. >> My ex-boyfriend of three years. He said he might make >> He's on felony probation. That's great. So >> he is >> apparently you don't know. You know him well enough to stay the night at his house and leave your kid in his house. >> Oh, Dwayne. I thought you meant Bobby. I I I knew that. So, you go to this guy, you don't know his house at 7:00 p.m. You're a nexus to knowing him, leaves, and leaves you at a house with a guy that you don't even know if he's on probation or not, or what type of person he is, alone at this house with you and your daughter, which by all means, Wayne is a violent person with serious narcotic problems. >> I He was on felony probation. >> He told me that he had had trouble with drugs and stuff. You wake up at 8:30 to say goodbye to >> your your ex. >> Yeah, he was. >> And that was the last time you saw your kid. A >> little bit after that. It wasn't like that exact time, but I'd rather went out to the garage and figured I about an hour and a half to see if I could find some furniture. >> And what were you going to do with this furniture that you had to do it at 8:30 in the morning? >> Do you have a car? >> No, my but Bobby does. And he was >> Was Bobby there? He was coming back to get us to take us home. >> So you last saw your daughter at 8:30 in the morning. Went out to a garage where was in there about like 9, but I don't >> All right, we'll go with 9. >> You went to the garage at 9:00 in the morning. Didn't know your kid was missing for 2 hours and 20 minutes. >> Actually, I can look at my phone and find the exact time. Like cuz I like I just don't think I was that but I mean I'm not trying to argue. So he left at 4 in the morning to work on a chainsaw. >> No, no, he doing that now. He left at 4 in the morning to I think just be vindictive and just because he was mad >> and get abandoned you at a house with somebody you don't know. >> I had met him. I mean, maybe I guess >> because you wanted to look at if I'm going to look at furniture, whether it's on Facebook Marketplace or a friend of acquaintance. I know. I'm not going to some random stranger dude's house with my six-year-old daughter as a petite female >> that can't defend himself against Wayne that you don't even know who he is or his history to stay the night at his house. >> Wasn't playing she >> to leave my six-year-old inside that house with that man. >> No, he was out in the garage. >> Oh, so you're all in the garage. Yeah, I wasn't going to look through his stuff without him there. Like, you know, like I'm not say it's I I hung out with them that night. I know some of the people like I didn't hear about >> I'm got I got to take a drug test. I don't have I didn't do anything. I'm not going to. >> So then your child was inside the house for 2 hours allegedly by itself. >> Before 2 hours and 20 minutes before you even walked out to the road looking for her, >> in which time she had enough time to get up, go around the house, realize you guys aren't around. >> What she says, this is not unusual that she's left alone at houses >> and she's tired of that for her to leave the house, climb over the gate, and start waving down cars saying she's tired of being left alone at houses. I've never like my I've lived with my dad now since and he would say that I've always with her decision. But >> I don't know any sound adult that would go to a stranger's house that they don't know and stay the night at their house for furniture looking at furniture. >> I went out >> we know what happens at Dwayne's house. We know what type of person he is. We know what type of people go to his house. He's not an unknown person to us. Fact of the matter is this kid's been unsupervised for 2 and 1/2 hours on which time she's on the side of a road waving down cars when you didn't know where she was. >> She was sleeping inside. I do want to check the >> I understand the kids sleep. I get that. I'm well aware they are humans and they sleep. >> Yes. I'm not trying to be >> I'm also well aware that it's six-year-old girl in a unknown environment at a what I would consider a extremely unsafe house. I wouldn't even send my adult girlfriend there, let alone with my child or anybody else there. >> We don't go there single officer. We don't go there early. >> Oh, I I if I would have gotten like a scary >> and as a parent, it would be in your best interest to know who you're leaving your child around and whose house you're at. >> I never left her alone with with him, though. I mean, and I'm not saying >> she's alone inside his house, >> but >> with three dogs that she doesn't know. >> The dogs are out. >> Who knows what kind of narcotics in there? >> I thought they were the dogs were out inside. I thought I'm not And the dogs >> was your kid outside. She when she was in sleeping on the couch. That's >> So was she outside alone at any point? >> I guess when she came out looking for me. Yeah. I got >> She outside alone. >> I >> for 2 hours since you've seen her >> more than that actually. two hours and 20 minutes where she could have been scooped up, swept across the Valuchia County line into Crescent City or Putton County on this busy road in the rain downpour and you have no idea where she's at while you're at a probationer's house that is by all means a violent history or violent person >> while you're looking at furniture because you came over and spent the night at his house to look at furniture. >> Also, I was trying to just make a friend. >> So, you even know he uses narcotics? He I thought he he didn't he didn't show any like Bobby said he didn't. I just trusted I admit that I trusted. All right, let's hop on outward. Are we going to wait here till VC gets here? >> They can meet you at the same >> I don't know Wayne to not do the proquid proquo system for stuff either. So let's go over here for him to give somebody something. He has to get something back. >> Let's go over here to this patrol car. That's And I wanted >> So that's in exchange for something or just >> No, like I just >> right here right here, you know, like >> wanted to do it and and then I wanted to His house is a mess and I needed to make some money. So I was like, can I come out and clean maybe and a later date? And >> it's going to be in your best interest to be honest with me. If you do come >> I am. It sounds >> test positive for something. Now's the time to tell me. No, I got my medical marijuana card, which I'd have to get to show you guys, but I mean, it can be looked up. >> So, if I Yeah, I can look it up. If I look that up, is it going to tell me that you filled your prescription recently? >> Yes. >> Where? >> Um, Chura would have been chura chura. I have my receipts at home, too. Where's I have all the receipts, too. >> Um, it's uh at Chura's by Dixie like Daytona City. Yeah, >> when was that? Flower oils. What? >> It's flour. I have the container in my purse with my name and date on it. I just I don't know exact. A couple days ago cuz it's still pretty full. >> Do you have clothes on under that? >> I have um Yeah, I have shorts and I just >> So, you're in Dwayne's? >> No, this is actually my shirt. >> Garage with no shoes on or anything? >> No, I I rarely wear shoes. All right. >> I was enjoying being in the country. >> Where's that lady taking her to? To to Okay. There's no way I could give that lady number to call my dad cuz she's not scared anymore. >> I don't think I don't think your daughter's scared at all now. >> Me and her have never been apart for a couple hours. >> Well, I >> I know Dwayne. I know he has a history of doing what you described and that is not how it usually goes. >> I'm I'm telling the truth. Like I'm not it it's definitely not I'm not proud of my self but it wasn't he showed no like viol has been updated. Okay. All right. You have your ID with her? granddaughter was in the road um off of County Road 305 in Vanel. Um >> she was along the road >> in the middle of the road. Um and it was raining very heavy before and after we got there like a an actual storm like our uniforms are soaking wet. Um we had two bystanders call in who were with her um who found her. Um she was asking for helping them down with her doll in her hand. >> Oh my god. Um, your daughter was at Dwayne Meek's house off of county 305. >> All right. Whose house? >> His name is Dwayne Meeks. He's a user. Um, he's a crackhead. >> Okay. >> At the drug house. We We know him well. He's >> Okay. I thought I thought my daughter was doing good. >> So, she didn't know your that your granddaughter was missing for about 3 hours. >> Okay. She told us that she was looking at furniture. >> That she was what? >> Looking at furniture at the >> Looking at furniture. >> Yes. And um we had deputies go to the house, make several announcements, and no one answered the door. Okay. And um as she walked up to us, she also had a pipe located in her right pocket. And she was under the influence of some sort of narcotic. I don't I don't know what. I'm not a drug recognition expert, but with the pipe and everything, I could we could tell she was on something. The guy she was with, um she said she slept with him to some extent. Um, again, I don't I don't know what that she was sleeping with him. >> Um, I don't I don't know what the if there was a deal with that or whether she sees him as a as a thing. That that's not I don't honestly I don't care. >> I didn't know she had anything to do with people next period. >> Yeah. So, that that that house is a very not a good house. Um, the people who go there >> usually are there for two things. Uh, drugs and sex. I apologize to him right now. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, for sure. No, I appreciate all your help. Okay. Sorry for that. We have a process to go through and you know verify all your information. It's going to be okay. Okay. for lunch. Miss Maxi. Okay. And are you hungry? You want me to stop at Wendy's and get something? >> Sure. You don't want me to get a Wendy's pizza? >> You can help me clean up the pee now. >> Ew. >> No. >> Okay. All right, thank you. >> Delta 315. >> In the end, Sarah Welker was arrested and charged with felony child neglect. That's the last update on Sarah Welker. In February 2024, she plead guilty to child neglect and received a one-year prison sentence, 186 days credited, plus four years of drug offender probation.