Seminole County parents charged after twins found critically malnourished

Deputies found two 5-month-old twins in life-threatening condition inside an RV parked on Byrd Avenue after a tip to the Florida Abuse Hotline, prompting criminal charges and renewed questions about local child welfare supports. The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office reported that “the twins were malnourished to the point where you could see every bone in their bodies” and that “the children were unresponsive and required life-saving interventions.” No formula or only empty containers were discovered in the RV.

Madison Smith and Leroy Somersall appeared before a judge after the discovery. Both parents face two counts of child neglect with great bodily harm, one count for each infant; bond was set at $50,000 per charge, leaving each parent with a $100,000 bond total. The court ordered no contact between the parents and the infants, no contact with anyone under 18, and prohibited the parents from contacting each other. Both will be fitted with GPS monitors pending further proceedings. An arraignment is scheduled for March 3.

The infants were airlifted to Arnold Palmer Hospital in Orlando for emergency treatment and remain under medical care. Neighbors in the Byrd Avenue area expressed shock and concern, saying community resources could have made a difference. Their reactions underscore the local dimensions of this incident: it is not simply a criminal matter but also a test of how Seminole County identifies and supports families in crisis.

The case raises immediate institutional and policy questions for county officials and voters. How did this household fall through safety nets that include hotlines, public assistance programs and community-based services? Are outreach and education efforts reaching the neighborhoods where young families live in trailers and RVs? The criminal charges address alleged harm to the children, but they do not substitute for preventive investments in maternal and infant nutrition, access to formula, pediatric care, and proactive social services.

For residents, the practical implications are direct. First responders, hospitals and child welfare agencies must coordinate to ensure critical needs are met before cases reach the level of criminal prosecution. Elected leaders and county administrators will face choices about funding for social services and public health programs that can reduce the chances of similar crises. Voters can influence those priorities at the ballot box and in public meetings.

The takeaway? Keep an eye on neighbors, especially families with infants, and use the Florida Abuse Hotline to report concerns. Civic engagement matters — from attending county budget hearings to backing local child welfare initiatives — because prevention can be the difference between a family getting help and a tragedy unfolding.