A Texas mother is accused of leaving her two young kids home alone for days so she could take a cruise, KTRK-TV reports.
Authorities allege that 29-year-old Lakesha Woods Williams left the children inside her luxury high-rise apartment in Houston for six days while she went on the getaway between April 4 and 10.
The situation was not discovered until April 9, when someone who was concerned about the welfare of the kids called the Harris County Constable’s Office. Neighbors are said to have seen Williams leave the building with luggage but did not see her return.
Deputies who entered the apartment found the two children by themselves. The kids, a boy and a girl, said their mom was away on the cruise and did not know when she would be back.
The deputies described the apartment as being in “disarray,” with garbage and food strewn about the apartment and a distinct smell of urine, according to KHOU-TV, quoting from court documents.
Williams allegedly used a camera to watch the kids and talk with them. The 8-year-old child also used a phone to text with his mom.
Although deputies attempted to contact Williams while she was away, she was not cooperative and gave inconsistent responses, according to KHOU-TV.
Medics were called to evaluate the health of the children, and child protective services also responded. A relative of Williams is now caring for the kids.
“We are still putting together the facts and circumstances of how these children were left alone for several days,” Constable Ted Heap wrote on Facebook. “But the important thing is they are safe now and those responsible should be held accountable for leaving these kids in an unsafe situation.”
Williams was arrested and faces two charges of child endangerment. She was booked into the Harris County Detention Facility and has a bond of $25,000, and she is scheduled to return to court on Monday.
Neighbors alleged this is not the first time Williams has left the kids alone.
“Many of the residents were worried about the children and have said this is not the first time that something like this has occurred,” court records state, according to KTRK-TV.
[Feature Photo: Lakeesha Williams/Harris County Constable]
