Robin Suzanne says her heart sank when she got a call around 2am last night from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office asking “do you know where your daughter is?” Robin told them her youngest daughter, 9 years old was out camping with her friends father Leonard Nile, his daughter, 10 years old, and a friend’s son, 11. That’s when the deputy informed her that all of the children were in their custody after 2 good samaritans rescued their calls for help from the island in the middle of the night.
According to Robin, her daughter says that when they got to the Samsons Island to go camping, her dad said he had to go back to the truck and get something. A trip that Robin says should have taken no more than 30 minutes at the most. She says after several hours had passed and Leonard hadn’t returned, the kids began to panic. That’s when they went to the boat dock and started calling for help.
She estimates that they were alone on the island from 2-4 hours before being rescued. She’s thankful for the individuals who came to the children’s aid and wants to thank them directly, but they have not yet been identified. She also says that just as the children were being picked up, another boat full of intoxicated men were coming aboard the dock and she fears of what could have been a much different story.
Leonard was located by law enforcement and was arrested and charged with 3 felony counts of Child Neglect WO Great Bodily Harm. There has been no official explanation for what happened to Leonard or where he went during the time frame he left the children on the island. Robin says she has never had a problem with Leonard watching their daughter before.
His first appearance is scheduled for tomorrow, and he remains in custody at Brevard County Jail.
Robin says she rewarded her daughter for her knowing when to go for help with a 3am trip to McDonalds on the way home.
This is a developing story and will be updated.