Irene Miller, a professional photographer living near Disney World in Kissimmee, Florida, was arrested last Friday after leaving her four children home alone for several days while she traveled to Las Vegas for work. The children’s ages range from 9 to 14. According to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, a babysitter was hired to help get the children ready for school and to check on them after classes, but the children were largely unsupervised during her absence.

Three days into the trip, one of Miller’s older children called 911 after a dumbbell fell on the youngest child’s head, prompting authorities to intervene. Deputies were waiting for Miller upon her return to Florida and charged her with four counts of child neglect. She was booked into the county jail before posting bond, the sheriff’s office said. The children were placed with their father, Mark Miller, following their youngest child’s discharge from the hospital.

The case has ignited a renewed discussion over parenting practices and the boundaries of child neglect. Questions have emerged about when allowing children independence crosses into neglect, especially as the “free-range parenting” movement gains traction nationwide. Since 2018, 13 states, including Florida, have enacted laws aimed at protecting parents who allow their children a degree of unsupervised freedom.

While there is no clear indication that Miller’s decision was connected to free-range parenting philosophies, the incident sparked a broad debate online. Commenters offered diverging opinions, with some criticizing Miller’s actions as neglectful and others cautioning against criminalizing parenting decisions in what was described by some as a more typical childhood experience in past generations.

David DeLugas, founder and executive director of Parents USA, a nonprofit advocating for parents’ rights, noted that his organization has defended parents in similar cases, such as a Georgia mother arrested after her 10-year-old son walked alone to a nearby store. DeLugas emphasized that inquiries from parents concerned about supervision laws have increased, but national data on arrests or investigations related to unsupervised children remain limited.

Miller and Mark Miller had been living together as recently as late August, though the couple, married for about 15 years, were reportedly undergoing divorce proceedings. Court records show Irene Miller filed for divorce in mid-September, shortly after a police report detailed an incident in which Mark Miller was charged with battery during a domestic dispute. Neither Miller nor her legal representatives responded to requests for comment.