5 Children Under The Age Of 10 Being Left Alone At Home At Night

Location: Ohio, USA

I (33 F) and my bf (30 M) need some advice on what to do regarding my bf's ex leaving their kids home alone while she goes to work. This is regarding 5 kids between the ages of 9 and 4.

Back story:

They broke up a little over a year ago after a very rocking decade long marriage. They both have some growing up to and are petty. He has resentments and refuses to help with things until I speak reason to him (please don't judge, he's actively bettering himself and letting go of his hatred) and she does things to be petty towards him at the expense of her own children (weird to hurt your own kids mentally and emotionally just because you hate your ex but whatever). Anyways, one of the petty things she did to get him out of the house after their break up was filing an EPO on him. She has since used this EPO to control everything she possibly can and most the time is wasting the courts time. She has been financially struggling. She eventually lost the house because she couldn't even pay for power, lived in the living room of a neighbor who's husband allegedly tried to assault her, then moved in with her parents in their 3 bedroom single wide trailer. She finally, this past month, got into section 8 housing. We are very grateful that now the kids have more structure at both homes that they stay at. We get them every other weekend and if his work schedule goes with school breaks, he tries to get them on his off days. She does, to her credit, works with him on that, but still complains because its not always exactly how she wants it. I digress.

Not officially divorced:

They are legally separated but cannot agree on certain custody issues that has delayed the divorce.

Last weekend:

I had his youngest daughter in the car with me and my daughter, to drop my daughter off at her dad's. On the way back home, she tells me that the other day, her sister woke her up cause she was crying in her sleep, and she made her feel better since mommy was watching them on the camera. I asked her what she meant and she told me that mommy was at work, watching them on the camera and that the oldest brother was still awake. Now she works 2 jobs and I guess she doesn't always have someone to watch the kids (if she even has anyone to watch the kids), so she watches them on the camera. I know she doesn't work too far, but its not walking distance and she does not and never has had a license or car and refuses to learn to drive. The neighborhood is not safe. These kids could unlock the door and walk outside if they wanted. Or what if there was a fire. No adult is there and she would either have to Uber or ask a friend for a ride to get back to the kids.

We just figured out her apartment number but we dont know when the kids are left alone. We dont have a direct way to be in contact with the kids to find out when. Since this EPO is still active for another month, what would happen if the kids get taken away from her?

We really need legal advice on how to best navigate this. When I told him what his daughter said, he couldn't believe it but we are seriously worried.