Sandra Henriquez, a mother from Indiana, was arrested for reportedly leaving her one-week-old baby and toddler home alone for almost 14 hours while she went out drinking.
Children Found in Poor Condition
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Police found Henriquez’s children in distressing conditions inside her residence in Muncie. They entered the house at approximately 2:22 p.m. on Wednesday following a report from a worried passerby who had heard children crying and feared neglect.
When they entered the room, they discovered the newborn baby displaying symptoms of malnutrition, with blue hands, feet, and mouth. The baby weighed less than when it was born. In contrast, the one-year-old was in slightly better shape, although they were wearing a diaper that had not been changed for a considerable period.
Authorities discovered multiple open containers of alcohol within the residence, along with a small dog confined in a cage without access to food or water.
Henriquez Arrested Earlier That Day
Earlier that day, Henriquez had been arrested after crashing her car into a pole at W Wagner St. and S Koontz Ave. When police arrived, they observed that she was slurring her words and discovered a child’s car seat in her vehicle. However, she did not respond when asked if she had children.
She went to the hospital first and then to jail. When the officers asked her once more if she had children, she initially said no. However, she later confessed that she did have kids but did not share any information about them or her home address.
Drinking Before Leaving the Kids Alone
Henriquez confessed to jail staff around 3 p.m. that she had visited a bar at 12:30 a.m., leaving her children unattended at home. She also acknowledged consuming a six-pack of 16 oz. Budweiser before heading out.
Investigators suspect that the children were unsupervised from 12:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. the following day.
Charges Against Henriquez
Henriquez, who is 32 years old, is now confronting various severe charges, including:
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- Neglect of a dependent resulting in serious injury (Level 3 felony)
- Neglect of a dependent due to abandonment (Level 5 felony)
- Two counts of neglect of a dependent (Level 6 felony)
- Obstruction of justice (Level 6 felony)
