A Houston mother has been arrested and charged with a felony after allegedly leaving her two young children alone for an extended period while she embarked on a cruise. Lakesha Williams, 29, is facing charges of abandoning a child with intent to return, a serious allegation that underscores the gravity of the situation discovered by authorities.
According to court records, Williams left her 8-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter in their high-rise apartment on April 4. Neighbors, who had observed Williams depart with luggage, alerted authorities after they did not see her return. A concerned resident of the apartment complex subsequently requested a welfare check on the children, prompting law enforcement to take action.
When deputies arrived for the welfare check five days after Williams’ departure, they encountered an apartment in “complete disarray,” with a “potent smell of urine” and food waste scattered about. The children themselves informed the police that their mother had left to vacation on a cruise and that they were uncertain when she would come back.
The court complaint noted that Williams had made arrangements to supervise the children remotely using a video camera and a cell phone, through which the children could text her. Despite these measures, the authorities determined that the children had not been under proper adult supervision during their mother’s absence. “These children were definitely left unattended for many days and put in serious harm’s way,” said Keegan Childers, the chief prosecutor of the 209th District Court.
It was reported that Williams, upon her return from the cruise that took her to Puerto Rico, initially provided law enforcement with false information about her identity. The children were subjected to a medical examination, deemed to be in good health, and released into the custody of their aunt.
Relevant articles:
– Mom accused of leaving 2 young children home alone for days to go on cruise
– Mom left her 6- and 8-year-old kids alone at their Memorial home to go on a cruise, records state, KTRK-TV, Fri, 12 Apr 2024 03:27:13 GMT
– Texas Woman Charged – Kids Abandoned While She Was on Cruise, News Talk 96.5 KPEL, Fri, 12 Apr 2024 09:17:07 GMT
– Mom left kids home alone for several days while she went on a cruise, deputies say, Arizona’s Family, Fri, 12 Apr 2024 16:30:00 GMT