Mom arrested for going on parenting strike

OCALA, Fla., Feb. 21 (UPI) -- A Florida mother-of-four was charged with child neglect after she told police she went "on strike" from taking care of her boys more than a month ago.

Melissa G. Dean, 33, was arrested after she told authorities that she left her kids, ages 17, 16, 14 and 13, home alone for hours each day because they fight too much, WKMG-TV, Orlando, Fla. reported.

In a charging affidavit, Dean reportedly said her kids needed to stop arguing and start cleaning and she possessed no control over them.

Dean allegedly told a Department of Families official that she chose to go "on strike" because she couldn't get help taking care of her boys from the police or courts.

Police said they arrived at the home Monday because two of the boys were fighting about a computer cord and called from a neighbor's house.

Authorities have visited the home on multiple occasions in the past, WKMG said.