A Texas woman was apprehended last week after allegedly leaving her two young children unattended for six days while she embarked on a Caribbean cruise. Lakesha Woods Williams, 29, was arrested on two counts of child endangerment, according to local law enforcement.
Williams is accused of leaving her 6-year-old and 8-year-old children alone in her high-rise apartment in Houston’s Memorial neighborhood. Authorities allege that she left her children to fly to Miami, from where she boarded a cruise ship bound for Puerto Rico.
The children’s plight came to light when police conducted a welfare check on April 9. The children reportedly told officers that their mother had left them alone to go on a cruise. The apartment was found in a state of disarray, with trash and leftover food scattered around, and a strong smell of urine pervading the premises, as reported by ABC Houston affiliate KTRK-TV.
Emergency medical services and Child Protective Services were called to the scene to assess the children’s health. Firefighters at the scene reported that the children appeared to be in good health and showed no signs of malnutrition. Investigators, however, believe that the children were left completely unsupervised during the six-day period.
Interestingly, it was reported that Williams had left a camera on within the apartment to monitor her children while she was away. Following the discovery, the children were removed from the home and placed in the care of their aunt.
Williams allegedly provided false information about her identity when questioned by the police. The criminal complaint noted that she was uncooperative and inconsistent in her account of her whereabouts.
Harris County Constable Precinct 5 issued a statement on Facebook, emphasizing the importance of the children’s safety and the need for accountability. Keegan Childers, the chief prosecutor of the 209th District Court, expressed concern about the potential dangers the children could have faced during their mother’s absence.
Williams was taken into custody at the Harris County Detention Facility the day after she returned from her cruise. Her bond has been set at $25,000, and she is expected to appear in court on Monday, according to court records.