Bell County
KILLEEN, Texas (TCN) — A 25-year-old woman is in custody for allegedly leaving her toddler unsupervised at home for a day while she traveled almost 200 miles to meet a man from a dating app.
The Killeen Police Department told “True Crime News” in a statement that on July 28 at 9:48 a.m., officers responded to the 600 block of West Hallmark Avenue for a welfare check on a child. Witnesses told police that a 16-month-old child “was hanging out near a broken window and an aggressive dog was trying to attack the child.” Police arrived and located the boy “protruding from the window that was repaired with a plexiglass sheeting and cardboard.”
Officers made entry into the apartment and rescued the boy, who was wearing only a T-shirt. He reportedly had feces on his skin and symptoms of diaper rash. Killeen Police officers looked through the apartment and learned the child had been left alone with two dogs.
KWKT-TV reports the dogs seemed protective of the child and barked at people trying to help the boy.
Court documents cited by KWKT noted that doors to other rooms inside the apartment were closed and the front door had been bolted. A baby gate also reportedly blocked off the kitchen.
Killeen Police made contact with the boy’s mother, identified by KWTK as Reese Myers, who said she drove to San Antonio the day prior for a date. Myers allegedly claimed she hired a babysitter through Facebook, but when police contacted the sitter, she said she and Myers had not spoken since December 2023. Police ordered Myers to return to Killeen.
Officials transported the toddler to a local hospital for an assessment, and Child Protective Services took custody of him.
According to Killeen Police, Special Victims Unit detectives presented their case to the Bell County District Attorney’s Office and obtained a warrant for Myers’ arrest on a charge of abandon/endanger a child. Myers was located and arrested Nov. 5 in San Bernardino County, California. Officials extradited Myers back to Texas.
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