HOUSTON — A 38-year-old woman is accused of leaving her young children home alone for about nine hours on Memorial Day so she could go drink and gamble.
Mary Ann Deleon is charged with abandoning/endangering a child with the intent of returning. Her bond was set at $1,000, but as of Tuesday evening, she was still in the Harris County Jail.
What happened
On Monday, Deleon locked her 5-year-old and 3-year-old children inside their home and went to a game room, according to authorities. Investigators said neighbors told them they saw someone leave the home just before 2 a.m. Officers responded to the home around 10:30 a.m.
Neighbors saw the kids crying in the window and called police, according to authorities. When a family member called Deleon, she told them she was gambling and drinking in a game room, investigators said. Deleon told authorities that she believed that the father of the kids was watching them.
While they were locked inside the home, the kids weren't able to open the door and weren't left with food or water, according to investigators. The children were held in a police unit for about two hours until a family friend showed up at the scene to get them. They were then placed in the custody of Deleon's sister, officials said.
Deleon is due back in court on Wednesday morning. As part of her bond conditions, she can't come in contact with her sister or any other members of her household, she would be subjected to random drug testing and would not be able to have contact with children under 17.