Mom left 11-year-old and 6-year-old home alone for 6 weeks while she attended out-of-state funeral, authorities say

A Texas pistillate is connected the tally aft leaving her children location unsocial for six weeks earlier this year, Lone Star State instrumentality enforcement says.

Rayshawna Deanna Dowdell, 34, stands accused of 1 number of abandoning a child without intent to return, according to a transgression ailment obtained by Law&Crime.

The probe began connected March 30, erstwhile a pistillate called to study concerns astir the girls, the Harris County Sheriff's Office said.

The girls had been staying with the caller since she encountered the brace astatine a vicinity park, according to a transgression complaint. The caller besides said the girls "disclosed they had been near unsocial astatine their residence without big supervision for an extended play of time."

An ensuing probe determined the girls had been surviving connected their ain betwixt Feb. 17 and March 30, oregon astir six weeks successful total, astatine a residence connected Breakaway Lane successful Katy – a tiny suburb located immoderate 30 miles westbound of Houston – according to the sheriff's office.

During an interview, the 11-year-old said she was successful complaint of her 6-year-old sister, which included tasks specified arsenic "preparing [her sister] for school, managing [her sister's] regular needs, and attempting to get food," according to the charging document.

But, authorities say, the parent was successful interaction with the girls.

The 11-year-old told investigators determination was nary big successful the location passim those six weeks, according to the complaint. At the aforesaid time, however, "digital evidence" from the older girl's instrumentality showed "ongoing communication" betwixt the miss and Dowdell, according to the sheriff's office.

"These communications bespeak that the Defendant was providing instructions remotely regarding regular activities, including schoolhouse attendance, question successful and retired of the residence, and obtaining food, alternatively than providing in-person supervision oregon care," the transgression ailment reads.

The mother, for her part, aboriginal told investigators she had traveled retired of authorities during the clip play successful question to be a funeral, according to the charging document.

The sheriff's bureau says the older miss stressed the deficiency of an adult.

"[The 11-year-old] consistently disclosed that nary big was present, and nary autarkic grounds confirmed the beingness of immoderate liable caregiver," the transgression ailment alleged.

The girls' residence was described arsenic "cluttered, unkempt, lacked disposable food, and was unsecured astatine the clip of introduction done an unlocked rear door," according to the charging document, citing the pistillate who called 911 and the lawman who responded to the call.

"These conditions are accordant with the lack of big supervision and enactment [the 11-year-old's] disclosure that she and her sibling were forced to negociate their ain basal needs for an extended period," the transgression ailment continues.

A abstracted bail question filed by the Harris County District Attorney's Office and obtained by Law&Crime cites "aggravating facts" circumstantial to the information of the girls' residence.

"There was nary nutrient successful the home; nutrient was lone provided via Uber Eats erstwhile the ma sent it," the question reads. "The location soiled and successful disarray. The 11-year-old was successful complaint of the 6-year-old."

The bail question goes connected to explicate however the children were placed successful their aunt's custody pursuing the archetypal 911 telephone – but alleges this placement became "unstable" due to the fact that the suspect "was progressive successful a carnal altercation" with the aunt. After that, Dowdell took some children and fled, the aunt allegedly told instrumentality enforcement.

Next, authorities attempted to scope the parent until April 6. Those attempts led to the archetypal hunt of the case, prosecutors allege.

"The Defendant provided inconsistent accusation regarding the [children's] location," the question reads. "Harris County Sheriff's Office and assisting agencies conducted aggregate payment checks — astatine slightest 5 abstracted attempts astatine locations associated with the suspect and progressive parties successful an effort to find and guarantee the information of the children. These attempts were unsuccessful owed to mendacious oregon inconsistent accusation provided by the Defendant."

Then came the 2nd hunt – and a constrictive escape.

"Further probe revealed that the Defendant attempted to transport the children retired of state," the question goes on. "Law enforcement coordinated with airdrome authorities aft identifying the Defendant's question plans and confirmed she was listed connected a formation manifest. Prior to instrumentality enforcement interaction the fishy was alerted to their beingness and fled the airport, delaying efforts to find the children."

Ultimately, the children were recovered successful Ohio during a payment cheque astatine a residence. Dowdell is not successful custody arsenic of this writing.

A booking photograph of the suspect from a erstwhile apprehension was obtained by Houston-based ABC affiliate KTRK.