Removed from the family-friendly ambiance that cruises signify, a Houston mom has been charged with baby abandonment after leaving her two younger youngsters alone to embark on a cruise from Florida.
Mother Arrested After Cruising With out Her Youngsters
29-year-old Lakesha Woods Williams was arrested following her return from a cruise that departed from Florida in early April 2024, and which made a name to San Juan, Puerto Rico, within the Caribbean.
The particular particulars of the ship and different ports visited are unclear; nonetheless, a number of cruise ships sail to San Juan from Florida, together with Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, and Virgin Voyages.
Keegan Childers, the chief prosecutor of the 209th District Court docket, stated to ABC13: “These youngsters had been left unattended for a lot of days and put in hurt’s means. For them to offer for themselves, feed themselves, deal with themselves, in addition to what if any person breaks in? What if there’s a nasty neighbor? Any variety of horror, nightmare situations that would come up.”
Neighbors within the luxurious high-rise in Houston the place Williams lives reported seeing her go away along with her baggage on Thursday, April 4, however with out her youngsters. Alarms had been raised when she didn’t return, prompting a welfare verify by Harris County Precinct 5 deputies.
Upon getting into the flat on April 9, authorities discovered Williams’ 8-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter alone in situations that had been removed from secure. The house was in disarray, with a scent of urine and leftover meals scattered all through the highrise residence. The kids knowledgeable the deputies that their mom had gone on a cruise, as confirmed by Harris County Constable’s Workplace Precinct 5.
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“We’re nonetheless placing collectively the details and circumstances of how these youngsters had been left alone for a number of days,” stated Constable Ted Heap, “however the essential factor is they’re secure now and people accountable needs to be held accountable for leaving these children in an unsafe state of affairs.“
Distant Monitoring
The mom had left a webcam working and a phone, which she used to verify in on her children whereas she was out having enjoyable on a cruise. After she returned house on Wednesday, April 10, the mom lied to the authorities about her id.
The 2 youngsters, an 8-year-old boy and a 6-year-old lady had been in comparatively good well being when firefighters entered the residence, and have since been handed over to a member of the family.
Chief Prosecutor Keegan Childers has pressed fees towards the neglectful mom for abandoning a baby with intent to return.
Little one Welfare on Cruises
In addition to being heartbreaking, the complete episode with Lakesha Woods Williams is meaningless. Any mum or dad would all the time carry their youngsters on a cruise, and even when unattainable, for instance, on an 18+ cruise corresponding to Virgin Voyages, guarantee they’re beneath the care of an appropriate and caring grownup.
Cruise ships are a super trip possibility for youngsters, providing a myriad of alternatives for fogeys to have some essential time alone with out the children. Onboard family-friendly cruise strains corresponding to Carnival Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean Worldwide, youngsters can take part in absolutely supervised youth packages, which offer quite a lot of actions designed to coach and entertain.
These packages typically embody science experiments, arts and crafts classes, and sports activities competitions, all carried out beneath the watchful eyes of skilled professionals. The packages are designed to permit mother and father to spend some doing grownup issues, corresponding to going to the Spa, having fun with a cocktail on the bar, or eating in upscale eating places.
