Left home alone, children call 911 after getting stuck in closet

Two children had to be freed from the closet of a Wilkinsburg home Tuesday after they were left home alone and called 911 for help, police said.

The children — an 8-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy — were playing a game when they became trapped in a bedroom closet at their home in the 1300 block of Chelsea Street, police said.

The 8-year-old girl had a cellphone and was able to call 911 for help at 1:11 p.m., police said.

Officers were able to enter the home through a window and free the children, police said.

Police said the children’s mother, Denita Grayson, left for her job at a day care around 7 a.m. and that the kids’ father, Marcus Cannady, was supposed to come over and watch them.

But police said Cannady failed to show up Tuesday and, also, on Monday.

Grayson told investigators that her boyfriend, Thomas Nix, was still at the home when she left and she did not know why he left the children alone.

"All parties involved know that some people show up, some don't. Some leave, some don't. And that there are frequent, frequent times for lengthy periods that the children are left alone," said Wilkinsburg Police Detective Sgt. John Snyder.

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A note was found inside the house telling the children what to do if Cannady didn’t show up and they were hungry.

The children, who were not injured, are currently in the custody of Allegheny County CYF.

Grayson and Cannady were arrested on charges of endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person.

Police said their investigation is ongoing, and a warrant will also be issued for Nix.

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