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HARRIS COUNTY, Texas - A mother is facing charges after officials said she left her children home alone for six weeks, according to court records.
What we know:
Rayshawna Dowdell, 34, is charged with abandoning a child and is currently not in custody.
According to court records, the Harris County Sheriff's Office was contacted by someone who reported concerns regarding two girls she had encountered on March 30. The caller reported an 11-year-old girl and 6-year-old girl had been staying with her after she met them at a neighborhood park. They stated they had been left alone at their home without adult supervision for an extended period of time.
The investigation determined that the children were left alone on or about February 17 and continued through March 30, which is six weeks of time.
According to court records, the 11-year-old stated that she was responsible for caring for her 6-year-old sibling including preparing for school, managing daily needs, and attempting to obtain food. The 11-year-old said there was no adult present in the home during the six week time frame.
Officials stated in court records that the statement made by the 11-year-old was corroborated by digital evidence recovered from the 11-year-old's device, which showed ongoing communication between the 11-year-old and Dowdell. The communications reflected Dowdell was providing instructions remotely regarding daily activities, including school attendance, movement in and out of the home, and obtaining food, rather than providing in-person supervision or care.
Court documents stated Dowdell admitted to being out of state during the timeframe, stating she was traveling for a funeral.
Officials said in court documents the condition of the home as observed by a deputy was cluttered, unkempt, lacked available food, and was unsecured at the time of entry through an unlocked rear door. The conditions, officials said, were consistent with the absence of adult supervision and support the 11-year-old's disclosure that she and her sibling were forced to manage their own basic needs for an extended period.
Court records stated that CPS conducted an investigation and it was confirmed that the children had been left without consistent supervision and that Dowdell was giving conflicting or misleading information regarding their care and whereabouts.
Officials said they spoke with Dowdell at her home and they reviewed communications between the 11-year-old and Dowdell during the investigation. It was determined that the 11-year-old expressed distress, lack of food, fear, and inability to continue caring for her sibling. The 11-year-old also disclosed inappropriate contact and ongoing discipline within the home, further supporting concerns for the children's safety and mental wellbeing.
In all the messages that were reviewed, there were no messaged indicating when Dowdell would return home and continued to tell the 11-year-old to follow her instructions and take care of her sister.
Court records stated the children were removed from their mother's care after the discovery that they were left unsupervised for an extended period of time. A temporary placement for the children was done with the 11-year-old's aunt on March 30, but officials said it became unstable.
Officials stated Dowdell was involved in a physical fight with the aunt who was assisting with the children's placement. The aunt reported Dowdell took both children and left the aunt's home. CPS stated they attempted to make contact with Dowdell multiple times and were unsuccessful through April 6.
Court records said Dowdell continued to provide inconsistent information regarding the 11-year-old's location. As a result, the Harris County Sheriff's Office and assisting agencies conducted multiple welfare checks - at least five separate attempts- at locations associated with Dowdell and involved parties in an effort to locate and ensure the safety of the children. Officials said the attempts were initially unsuccessful due to false or inconsistent information provided by Dowdell.
Further investigation revealed Dowdell attempted to take the children out of state. Law enforcement coordinated with airport authorities after identifying Dowdell's travel plans and confirmed she was listed on a flight manifest. Prior to law enforcement contact, Dowdell was alerted to their presence and fled the airport, further delaying efforts to locate the children.
Court records stated the children were later located out of state in Ohio, where their presence was confirmed during a welfare check at a home.
Dowdell remains on the run.
What you can do:
If you know where Dowdell is, you're asked to contact law enforcement.
The Source: Court records