THEY LEFT THEIR THREE CHILDREN HOME ALONE TO PLAY PICKLEBALL — THEN POLICE ARRIVED

They were only supposed to be gone for a game of pickleball.

Instead, an Oklahoma couple ended up behind bars after police say they left their three young children — including a 1-year-old toddler — home alone while they traveled about 20 minutes away to play.

The children were just 8, 5 and 1 years old.

And according to police, there was no adult caregiver inside the home.

Andrew Dick and Feather Roberts were arrested on August 30, 2026, after authorities received a report that the children had allegedly been left without supervision in Glenpool, Oklahoma.

What happened next raised even more questions.

A CONCERNED CALLER RAISED THE ALARM

Police say a concerned caller contacted authorities after becoming suspicious that the three children were alone.

The caller also contacted Roberts directly.

According to police, Roberts initially claimed that she and Dick were playing pickleball in Bixby and that the children were with babysitters.

But the caller went to the home.

The children were there.

And there was no sitter.

Police were then called to the residence.

When officers arrived, they found the 8-year-old and 5-year-old watching television, while the 1-year-old was asleep.

The children were ultimately found safe and in good health.

But investigators were not finished.

THE PARENTS WERE ABOUT 20 MINUTES AWAY

According to police, Dick and Roberts were playing pickleball at a facility in Bixby, approximately 20 minutes from their home.

They later returned while officers were investigating.

Police say the couple confirmed they had been away playing pickleball.

Then officers asked a simple question:

How were the children supposed to contact their parents if something went wrong?

Roberts reportedly told investigators that the children had access to an iPad that they could use to call them in an emergency.

That answer did not end the investigation.

Instead, authorities say they learned something even more concerning.

POLICE SAY IT WASN’T THE FIRST TIME

According to the Glenpool Police Department, the investigation indicated that this allegedly was not the first time Dick and Roberts had left their children home without adult supervision.

That detail significantly changed the picture investigators were examining.

The case was no longer simply about what allegedly happened on one afternoon.

Authorities were also looking into whether there was a broader pattern of leaving the children unsupervised.

The Oklahoma Department of Human Services was notified following the incident.

THEY HAD A FOURTH CHILD

The family has another child — an infant.

But police say there was an important difference.

The youngest baby had appropriate childcare arrangements while the three older children were allegedly left at home.

That meant investigators were faced with an unusual situation: childcare had reportedly been arranged for one child, while the other three were allegedly left without an adult.

THREE COUNTS FOR EACH PARENT

Dick and Roberts were both arrested and face three counts of child neglect.

The charges correspond to the three children who police say were left without adult supervision.

The children were not reported to have suffered physical injuries during the incident.

They were found safe and healthy, according to authorities.

But child-welfare officials were notified because of the circumstances surrounding the case.

THE CASE HAS SPARKED QUESTIONS ABOUT CHILD SUPERVISION

The incident has also renewed debate over how parents determine when children are old enough to remain home without an adult.

Oklahoma does not have a simple statewide rule specifying one minimum age at which a child can legally be left alone, according to reporting citing state guidance.

Instead, authorities can consider factors including a child’s age, maturity, safety and the circumstances involved.

In this case, however, the ages of the children immediately drew attention.

The youngest was only 1 year old.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

For now, the children are safe, and authorities have been notified.

But the criminal case against Dick and Roberts is only beginning.

The allegations will have to be addressed through the court system, and the parents are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

What began as a trip to play pickleball has now turned into a child-neglect investigation involving three young children, a concerned caller, an iPad that police say was supposed to serve as an emergency lifeline — and an allegation that this may not have been the first time the children were left alone.

And perhaps the most striking detail is the simplest:

The children were not at a babysitter’s home.

They were reportedly inside their own house — alone — while their parents were miles away playing pickleball.