Full Breakdown
Father Arrested in Sunny Isles Beach After 4-Year-Old Found Wandering Alone
8/20/2026, 8:34:01 PM
Incident Details
On a Wednesday afternoon, a Sunny Isles Beach police officer conducting a traffic stop near 17200 Collins Avenue was alerted to a small child walking alone on the sidewalk. The 4-year-old boy was heading north along Collins Avenue, had visible redness on his face, and was carrying a half-eaten slice of pizza. Officers placed the child in a patrol vehicle and began searching the surrounding area for his guardians.
Police later located the boy’s mother outside a nearby apartment complex on 174th Street. She said she was looking for her son and contacted her husband, Semyon Levin, 63. Levin arrived at the scene and told detectives that he had been eating with his son at a Starbucks at 17100 Collins Avenue around 3 p.m. when he lost sight of the child. He remained at the coffee shop for about an hour before realizing his son was missing.
Levin waived his Miranda rights and gave a recorded interview in which he said he frequently loses sight of his son because the child “has too much energy.” When asked why he did not call police immediately, Levin said he did not believe the situation constituted an emergency. Investigators estimated the boy had been wandering alone for roughly one hour.
Data & Statistics
- Child’s age: 4 years
- Approximate duration alone: 1 hour
- Time of initial Starbucks visit: around 3 p.m.
- Time officer received the report: about 4 p.m.
Official Statements & Responses
The department arrested Levin on a child-neglect charge and transported him to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center for processing. As of Thursday morning, Levin remained incarcerated at TGK.
What’s Next
Levin is being held on the neglect charge; no court date has been announced. Police indicated that the investigation will continue to determine whether additional charges are warranted.
