The parents of at least three children were arrested on November 10 on felony child neglect charges after they were found to have left a toddler unsupervised at their house at 57 Blare Castle Drive in Palm Coast, where the toddler’s sisters, 13 and 14, were also left without supervision.
Robert J. Goodman, 39, and Chelsea K. Wright were on the property when Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a caller noticing something amiss there. But both were incapacitated when the deputies showed up.
The caller at around 9:30 that morning had noticed a person slumped over in a car that had been poorly parked in front of the house, prompting the arrival of deputies. The person was Wright, who was in a pool of vomit when the deputy managed to awaken her. She was confused and somewhat incoherent at first, as if unable to comprehend where she was or why she was there, in the deputy’s description. “What’s the problem?” she asked the deputy. “What’s going on?” A neighbor informed emergency responders that children live at the house. But no one answered the door after repeated call-outs.
Finally a deputy opened the door, which had been left ajar, and noticed a toddler, referred to as RG, hiding in a bedroom. As the deputy approached, RG, who was crying and unclothed, made his way toward the deputy, arms outstretched in the gesture begging for contact and affection before immediately clutching the deputy’s leg. As the deputy checked the room and the rest of the house, numerous hazardous items were found, including a hunting style knife that had been within reach of the child, pieces of wood with protruding nails (there were several renovation projects in the house), a second knife on the floor, an open back porch door and glass from a broken window. The Department of Children and Families’ social worker who responded found a bottle of Soboxone, the narcotic, that had also been within reach of the child.
Wright was unable toi explain what had happened or where she had been, allowing only that “I had left… and… what was I doing?… Something… I’m still trying to gather my thoughts because I don’t want DCF, I don’t want anybody else.” She said she’d had a substance abuse in the past, drank, “a little bit of this and a little bit of that” but didn’t do anything “hardcore.”
Deputies found the two girls in their bedroom, where they’d been asleep. A man showed up at the house looking for Goodman, whom everyone in the house assumed had left for work as he usually did at 6. He had not. They found him slumped over and unresponsive, at first, in a bathroom. When he woke up, he explained to deputies that he’d had some Nyquil and beer and fallen asleep. After trying to get clearer explanations from Goodman, the deputy concluded that the only truthful explanations of what had taken place in the previous 12 hours were from the two girls.
They said their mother had come and gone from the house twice between 8 p.m. the night before and 4 a.m. that morning. The girls tried to wake up Goodman. He was entirely unresponsive. They reached Wright by cell phone and asked her to come home. They couldn’t remember whether she had by the time they went to sleep. But at some point Wright woke them up to tell them they didn’t have to go to school the next day (what would have been November 10) but only because she wanted them to watch the toddler.
The girls told deputies they’ve felt more like the toddler’s parents than Wight or Goodman were, taking care of him, and taking him with them when they’d visit friends, at Wright’s and Goodman’s request.
DCF determined that a neighbor was well acquainted with the children to take care of them when their parents were arrested and taken to the Flagler County jail. Goodman bonded out. Wright remains in jail on $2,500 bond. Both face a third-degree felony charge. In a previous arrest on a domestic battery charge on Wright that was dropped, deputies had responded to the same house but encountered a different child belonging to Goodman, and no mention of the girls, though Wright at the time was pregnant with RG. There was no reference to that different child during Wednesday’s incident.
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Samuel says
Flagler County Judges will most likely give the kids back to two people that should never have any child in their presence. What is wrong with two low lives that care more about getting hire than the safety of innocent children? And the mother can’t even remember where she was, how special is that.
Throw them both in jail for a few years and throw the key to cell in the trash, maybe that will teach them a lesson.
Gma says
I agree..one of those children is my granddaughter which will now live with her father. They both need to go to prison…
Curious says
Chelsea’s Facebook shows she’s living large. Hopefully she got herself together. I saw she has had 3 children pass away.
Angela says
I’m a Christian woman that has took in children before. I will gladly take one of those girls if needed.I live alone and I would love her like my own daughter.This makes me feel so bad. Bless those sweet children. Angela..you can email at [email protected]
A.j says
I’ve heard the drug mentioned in the report, Black folk don’t get thanks to this society. That leave me to believe the people are White. Nothing will might not happen to the parents, they will probably get the kids. Nice being white in P. C. Put a baby in danger and they get a slap on the wrist and nothing happen to them.
Coll says
Ummm what does RACE have anything to do with this??? NOTHING AT ALL!! So sick of race being a factor to everything nowadays! Disgusting!
Now for DCF they are stupid… I do believe not because they are white they will only have to do the bare minimum to get them back because the kids DONT DESERVE TO BE THERE… now with that being said I have seen plenty of time Kids that truly need to be taking away for a better life are the ones that DCF turns a blind eye to…and the parents who made a minor mistake or have a past those are the kids that get taken away for years if not forever!! Its sad and Disgusting!!!
DCF needs new employees and to be trained way better! They are a joke!
BUT TO BRING RACE IN TO THIS… YOUR WRONG FOR THAT!!!
WE ALL BLEED THE SAME!!!
Sara says
Sorry race absolutely does play a part in things. This is 100% facts even if you don’t want to believe it.
Sandy says
Wrong! Don’t play the race card! Sick of it too in every situation!
Anonymous says
DCF will allow those children back in that environment in no time. If not already. Such a joke!!!! I’m sure they will have some nonsense “in place” and those kids will be right back in the same situation that they we in and probably have been for God knows how long! This system is so broken. But thankful they spent a little time in jail. PARENT UP!!! Or stop having kids!!!!!
Pope says
You don’t have a clue what DCF does so I’ll make it really simple for you and all of you readers. They document the abuse and the file is given to law enforcement, state attorneys, and judges and those people with the authority decide to make arrests, make charges, and remove children permanently. So many people just say “Duuhhh is DCF’s fawlt.” Whilst wiping the Bud Light off their chin to keep from getting on their overalls. Have you ever got up in the middle of the night to drive a screaming infant to another state because their mother overdosed and needs someone to take care of them? Have you had to accompany a devastated little girl while doctors are examining her for possible rape? Have you ever had to look a pictures and videos of children that have drowned in pools while unattended? You don’t have the stomach or the balls to be a DCF worker so seriously shut up.
Pogo says
@Pope
Standing ovation.
Anonymous says
Actually… YES!!!! To answer ALL of your questions @ Pope
Don’t assume you know what I do for a living.
Anonymous says
Why would dcf give the kids to the neighbors to watch them while v their parents are in jail. Wtf this is how dcf messes up and children die because dcf isn’t doing their jobs and they’re always worried about the wrong parents! What a disgrace dcf is
Me says
Hey um you may not know the relationship between the kids and the neighbors from what I’ve heard they are really close so let me re correct you on that part I’m not sure why you think you have the right to put your opinion in something you don’t really know but I hope you have a good rest of your day
ABBA says
I’m glad they children were taken to the neighbor’s homes – even for a little while. At least they had people who love them enough to care for them. Their parents should NEVER get those children back.
Gma says
Yes they are caucasian. But no..my granddaughter will not go back there. Her father is going to take over. He didnt know they were all shot out on drugs..nyquil no…I’m so sad for the baby .I hope they dont get them back. Goodman has had a total of 7 children. That’s all I’m going to say. Had……
A.j says
WOW,my hats off to DCC. I know I could not stomach a dead child from abuse. It is hard for me to see a dead child from natural causes. I know it is hard.
Me says
It wasn’t from abuse….
Skibum says
These two drugged out, good for nothings are the perfect example of people who have no business being parents, and the only reason they are is that they have the proper plumbing. All too often judges unfortunately believe that even in horrendous circumstances kids are better off with their dead beats for parents instead of being permanently placed somewhere else for their own safety. When that happens the judicial system is giving the kids virtually no chance to grow up in a safe and proper environment, leading to the kids having a perfect chance to become dead beats themselves, that is if they survive their childhood neglect and abuse.
Only Me says
I find it so outrageous that any judge in their right mind feel a child with two drug dead beat irresponsible adults these children would be better back with them. How would that judge if that is the ruling would want their own grandchildren back with these two losers. That is what a judge needs to think about. There are plenty of foster homes and DCF I am sure could find a better place for them to be.
Let them bail out of jail not get those children back and go do more drugs and die eventually from an over dose, that is where they are heading. Drug rehab won’t work when they don’t want it to. So let them go overdose that is their choice no one elses.
Truth be told says
To Gma says.Truth is your son is living in a motel and he also failed a drug test.And that is the reason he doesn’t have your granddaughter.
Sheryl Menke says
I had seen this video a year or two ago and felt sorry for all, of course with not understanding all of what was behind it and I still don’t. However, I don’t understand why they did not drug test the on the scene, unless they refused and I didn’t see that. Anyone have an answer to that?
Sheryl (Interpreter of the Deaf (Hugs)