A mother is in custody after Harris County authorities found two young children alone in a Houston apartment, one with an open bottle of wine.
Toddler Found with Alcohol
The investigation began after the children’s father reported that the mother, Ebony Maddox, routinely left the four- and two-year-old children alone in her apartment.
Deputies from the Harris County Pct. 3 Constable’s Office went to the apartment in the 123000 block of Tidwell Road and knocked on the door, which they say was answered by the 4-year-old.
After discovering that there were no adults in the house, the deputies requested assistance. One of the children appeared with an open bottle of alcohol while they were waiting.
Deputies called Maddox, who said she was 20 minutes away and had briefly left the children with a friend who was supposed to be babysitting them. The announcement stated that no friends were present at the home.
The responding caseworker notified Child Protective Services and temporarily released the children to their maternal grandpa.
Maddox has been charged with child endangerment. She was brought into jail and lodged in Harris County Jail.
Sherman Eagleton, the constable, has provided the following statement:
“Leaving a child under the age of 15 unattended in circumstances that place them at substantial risk of harm can result in criminal charges of Child Endangerment or Abandonment. There is no specific minimum legal age in Texas for leaving a child home alone, but caregivers are expected to exercise sound judgment based on the child’s age, maturity, and the safety of the environment. Situations involving young children left alone—even briefly—can result in criminal prosecution and CPS involvement.”