Trigger Warning: This article mentions details about child neglect leading to arrest.
A 26-year-old mother from Shreveport, Louisiana, Calvinitri White, was in prison for six days on child neglect charges after police found cockroaches in her apartment. Reportedly, no one paid attention despite her repeated requests to the landlord to resolve the infestation in Village Square Apartments.
Later, when White called 911 on July 5 for help regarding a dispute over a PlayStation, they claimed to find “unsafe and unsanitary” living conditions in her apartment, including a significant roach infestation.
Caddo Parish District Attorney James E. Stewart Sr. dismissed the charges after receiving proof that White had submitted three formal maintenance requests about the pest problem in 2025. Still, the society’s authorities completely ignored it.
As per The Atlanta Black Star, no other drugs, firearms, or proof of notable child harm were found. Calvinitri White was arrested, and her three children, ages 4, 3, and 1, were taken into custody. Following her release, the mother of three described the sudden arrest as humiliating and deeply unfair.
“We had a shelter over our head,” she said, holding back tears. “It wasn’t ideal, but I wasn’t just sitting there doing nothing,” White claimed that the cops used the situation against her and mocked her despite her trying to explain it. “My kids didn’t deserve that. I didn’t deserve that,” she added.
UPDATE: Shreveport mother seeking legal action against Shreveport police after she was arrested this summer on child neglect charges due to roaches found in her home. @KSLA https://t.co/vTvAVV7MJD
— Ashley Graham (@ashleygrahamtv) September 30, 2025
Meanwhile, Calvinitri White’s attorney, Malik Shabazz, announced plans to sue the City of Shreveport, the police department, and the officer involved unless a settlement is offered. The team also claimed they would charge the authorities of Village Square Apartments for neglecting her maintenance complaints.
Alas, instead of apologizing, the apartment authorities are reportedly trying to get her to vacate her flat and issue eviction proceedings against her. She received a handwritten note stating they would no longer “accept” her rent ( she posted a photo of an envelope that said, “I can not accept your rent.”), And she’s currently fighting the eviction in court.
Consequently, White wrote about the incident in an emotional Facebook post and defended her stance. “To be accused of neglecting my children, when I’ve often neglected myself just to meet their needs, is insulting and it’s defamation,” she added.
Moreover, helpless mother Calvinitri White highlighted her constant struggle to balance her personal and professional life, including working part-time and studying for her mortgage loan officer license.
White’s post went viral, drawing over 1,000 reactions and hundreds of comments, many of them apologizing for judging her based on the police’s initial account. One commenter wrote, “That’s DEFAMATION at its finest and you need to sue them!”Calvinitri White is awaiting a decision in eviction court as we write this story, and her legal team prepares potential lawsuits on her behalf.
Atlanta Black Star has contacted White’s attorney, Malik Shabazz, requesting a copy of the body camera footage of her arrest. This case adds to the long list of similar cases, which highlight the sad plight of people who have been wrongfully arrested in cases related to abuse and neglect in America, alongside the poor living conditions of communities of colored people.
