Mom left her 6- and 8-year-old kids alone at their Memorial home to go on a cruise, records state

A mother from west Houston, Lakesha Woods Williams, 29, has been arrested on charges of allegedly leaving her 8-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter home alone while she went on a cruise. She faces charges of abandoning a child with the intent to return.

Neighbors at Williams’ luxury high-rise apartment building in the Memorial area alerted authorities after witnessing her leave with luggage and bags on April 4, but she never returned.

Deputy constables from Harris County Precinct 5 Constable Ted Heap’s Office conducted a welfare check at her apartment on Tuesday. They discovered the children, a brother and sister, home alone in a unit that smelled of urine and was in disarray, with trash and leftover food scattered around. The children informed the deputies that their mother had left for a cruise vacation.

“These children were left unattended for many days and put in harm’s way,” stated Keegan Childers, the chief prosecutor of the 209th District Court. “For them to provide for themselves, feed themselves, take care of themselves, as well as what if somebody breaks in? What if there’s a bad neighbor? Any number of horror, nightmare scenarios that could come up.”

The deputies found a web camera and cell phone that the children said their mother used to check in on them. Fortunately, firefighters determined that the children were in good health.

Child Protective Services released them to their aunt, who declined to comment when reached by over the phone.

According to Precinct 5 officials, Williams flew to Miami last week to board the cruise to Puerto Rico. She returned home Wednesday night and initially provided false information about her identity.