Donald Gekonge, 24, and Darline Aldrich, 24, were arrested on November 17 for unlawful conduct toward a minor. 

They left their two-year-old child alone in their apartment in Charleston, South Carolina while, in dad’s words, they were on a “business trip” a “few states away.” The parents were in New York City. 

A witness at the apartment complex told police that he had received a text from Mr. Gekonge saying he was in New York City on business. The apartment manager could not reach anyone in the home and an emergency walkthrough was done, at which point the child was found alone and police were contacted. 

They found the two-year-old child sleeping on the living room bed.

“When we got into the house, the child woke up and reached out for his empty water bottle,” police said.

The child was not in distress and a foster care agency took responsibility for the boy and transferred him to Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital for further evaluation.

Police tried to reach the parents but were unsuccessful at first. Gekonge later called the complex and told the police that he had to leave and he assumed the child’s mother was with him, but admitted that she was also in New York for an emergency. 

As of Wednesday, the two were still in custody. The father and mother’s bonds were set at $50,000 and $75,000, respectively.