A Texas mother, Rayshawna Dowdell, is accused of abandoning her two children at home alone for six weeks. The kids were unsupervised and unattended. According to Law&Crime, the 34-year-old mother is charged with one count of abandoning a child without intent to return.
Harris County Sheriff’s Office revealed they received a report from a woman on March 30 informing them about the girls left alone in the house. The 11-year-old and 6-year-old began staying with the woman when she saw them at a park. The girls told the caller that they were left alone without any adults in the house.
According to the police investigation, the mother left them around Feb. 17, and they were alone till March 30. They were alone at a home in Breakaway Lane in Katy for six weeks, with an 11-year-old caring for the six-year-old sibling.
Mom accused of abandoning 2 daughters for weeks in Katy-area home, authorities say https://t.co/iLHopW6Svp
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The elder sibling was taking care of the younger one, doing chores such as managing food for her and getting her ready for school. However, digital communication records showed the mother remained in contact with the girls.
The mother allegedly guided the 11-year-old remotely to make sure they went to school and were able to get food. In her defense, the mother later revealed to the investigators that she had traveled out of state for a funeral.
The 11-year-old was stressed after taking care of the house and her sister. According to the criminal complaint, “[The 11-year-old] consistently disclosed that no adult was present, and no independent evidence confirmed the presence of any responsible caregiver. These conditions are consistent with the absence of adult supervision and support [the 11-year-old’s] disclosure that she and her sibling were forced to manage their own basic needs for an extended period.”
A mother is facing charges after officials said she left her children home alone for six weeks, according to court records. https://t.co/lIMvNaqaJZ
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Moreover, the house was described as unkempt and cluttered, and there was a lack of available food. They were also unsafe in the home, as the rear door was unlocked. The report also revealed that the two were eating food delivered via Uber Eats that their mom ordered.
A separate bail motion explains the living situation of the girls in detail. It describes that the children were placed in care of an aunt, but the defendant ended up having a physical altercation with the aunt.
The motion filed by the Harris County District Attorney reads, “The Defendant provided inconsistent information regarding the [children’s] location. Harris County Sheriff’s Office and assisting agencies conducted multiple welfare checks — at least five separate attempts at locations associated with the defendant and involved parties in an effort to locate and ensure the safety of the children. These attempts were unsuccessful due to false or inconsistent information provided by the Defendant.” The mother tried to transport the kids out of state but could not, and they were left in the Ohio home.
