SEMINOLE, Fla. (WFLA) A Seminole father of two young children was supposed to be home watching them, while their mother attended an out of state funeral.

Instead, Pinellas deputies say Kalvin Guice abandoned them to drink booze at a strip club.

Guice posted bond after his early Friday morning arrest for child neglect. His wife said he is suffering from PTSD after a 20-year career in the service.

Pinellas County investigators wrote in an arrest affidavit, Kalvin Guice admitted, he spent about 4 hours at the 4-play strip club in St. Petersburg, downing 4 to 5 Jack and Cokes.

Courtesy: Peter Bernard

Meanwhile, at his house 8 1/2 half miles away, his 2 children, an 11-year-old, non-verbal boy with severe autism and his 9-year-old sister, were left alone.

Abigayle Dhani, a child advocate at the Suncoast Center, not affiliated with this case said parents should have a support group in advance of any need.

“There’s definitely overwhelming situation going on for parents who’s, especially parents of special needs kids.  So we want to make sure they have a plan in place long before the middle of the night, kind of snap decision happens” said Dhani.

At the Guice home in Seminole, the children’s Mother, Meagan said she’d gone to Georgia to attend her mother’s funeral.

Her 9-year-old daughter sent her a text, saying dad is gone. Meagan Guice contacted Kalvin, but she said, Guice, told her to, “leave me alone and let me drink.”

Abigayle Dhani from the Suncoast Center said too many kids must live through horrible situations like this. “No child should have to go through something like that.  Every child should be safe in their bed at home with parents who take care of them and love them. Unfortunately, that’s not the case for a lot of kids in our community” said Dhani.

Meagan Guice said her husband, after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, but off meds for 2 years, hasn’t been himself.

Pinellas County Deputies arrested Kalvin Guice after finding his 11-year-old son in his locked room, with a urine-saturated diaper.

The judge ordered him to have no contact with his kids.