The appropriate age to leave children at home alone can be a controversial topic among parents. There is no federal law that sets a definitive age for leaving kids alone, but some states have rules and guidelines. In many cases, it’s up to parents to decide what’s best for their own family. Common sense says leaving young children home alone is not a good idea, yet some parents don’t always err on the side of caution. A Pennsylvania mom allegedly left her children home alone to run an errand, and neighbors called police after they say one climbed on the roof. Thankfully, he didn’t get seriously injured, but his mom, 38-year-old Amanda Rivera, now faces charges.
Neighbors told police they watched the child crawl onto the roof.
According to court documents obtained by KDKA-TV, a neighbor called police on March 15, 2026, with a scary story.
“The [neighbor] advised she took a video of a 7- or 8-year-old boy on the roof. [The witness] stated that the boy was trying to hang on the power lines attached to the house,” according to a report.
Officers rushed to the home in Blairsville, where they reportedly saw the child on the roof 20 feet above ground, WTAE reported.
The weather conditions made the situation even more frightening.
KDKA-TV reported high winds on the day police received the call, which made the situation even more perilous for the child. Officers knocked on the door, and a 15-year-old and the 8-year-old allegedly refused to let them inside.
“The [15-year-old] stated that the WiFi was off in the house and he couldn’t make calls on his phone and didn’t have any way to contact someone,” police wrote in the report.
Per police, Rivera said her younger son has autism, and her older son reportedly cares for him for her. She allegedly claimed her 8-year-old has climbed out windows at school and home in the past, KDKA-TV reported. Although neither child was harmed, Rivera faces two counts of endangering the welfare of children.
The situation saddened neighbors.
Blairsville resident Anna Zadecky, empathized with Rivera, whom she felt was doing the best she could.
“I feel for the mother. I’m sure she was trying her best to move and do everything she needed to do. However, when you have children, you’re responsible. Accidents happen, but that’s completely unacceptable,” Zadecky said.
She added that life can change in a second, and sometimes, parents don’t realize it until it’s too late.
“I think too many people are not paying attention anymore. They don’t realize that one little thing could happen so quick, and it changes all their lives forever,” Zadecky said.
Rivera probably thought her older son could handle the younger one, but age doesn’t always equal maturity or the ability to think like an adult. Fortunately, nothing serious happened, and hopefully, they can all learn from this.
