HOUSTON — A Houston-area mother is accused of leaving her children, ages 6 and 8, home alone while she went on a cruise.

What You Need To Know

  • A Houston-area mother is accused of leaving her kids, ages 6 and 8, home alone for an extended period while she was on a cruise

  • Lakesha Woods Williams, 29, was taken into custody by police on April 11. Her bond was set at $25,000

  • Court documents say police found the family’s apartment in disarray, with leftover food and trash strewn about

  • Neighbors told police this isn’t the first time Woods has done something like this

According to Houston CBS affiliate KHOU, citing court documents, 29-year-old Lakesha Woods Williams was taken into custody last Thursday and her bond was set at $25,000.

Documents say that a neighbor in a Houston luxury high-rise apartment building contacted police on April 9 after noticing the kids, a boy and a girl, were alone.

Police conducted a welfare check and discovered the apartment “in disarray.” Police said trash and leftover food was strewn around the apartment and that it smelled like urine.

The children, documents say, told police their mother left on April 4 and they did not know when she would be back.

Neighbors told police they saw Williams leave the apartment on April 4 with luggage. They said this was not the first time something like this had occurred.

Police further said they located a camera with which Williams watched her children and that she was in contact with the 8-year-old boy by phone.

The children were checked for injuries. They were released into their aunt’s custody.

During the investigation, deputies attempted to contact Williams, but she was not cooperative and kept changing her story about her whereabouts.