Indianapolis, IN - Maybe Latoya Hunter was gettin’ her party on, or maybe she just needed a break from her two small children. But at 10:00 p.m. on Saturday night, Hunter’s four year old daughter picked up the phone and called 911. The preschooler told dispatchers that she was home alone with her infant sister, and she didn’t know where her mommy was.
When police officers arrived at Hunter’s home, they found that the little girl was telling the truth - her mother, Latoya Hunter, was not home. The four year old girl had been left to care for her six-month-old baby sister, who requires both a heart monitor and what police call an “assistive breathing device”, which could mean anything from a nebulizer to a ventilator.
One neighbor told the press that “She used to scream at them really bad, sometimes we would be here eating dinner and you could hear it all the way over here, she was screaming, and the little kids were crying.”
Sounds like Latoya Hunter might have been a little overwhelmed.
She got lucky, though; both her children were physically fine, although her four-year-old was very frightened. That tells me that Hunter didn’t routinely leave the kids home alone, or else she left when she thought they were sleeping. Police say that about an hour and a half after they went to Hunter’s home and got her kids, Hunter called them in a panic to report her children missing. When told that the children had been taken to a hospital to be checked out, she went over to the hospital and was arrested.
Latoya Hunter is charged with two felony counts of child neglect, but is already out of jail. Her children are being in the custody of Youth Emergency Services.
So Jaded is on this case in our forums.
20 responses so far ↓
1
jenjen0135
Oct 6, 2008 at 2:13 pm -goin’ out hoin’ after the yungin’s is’a snoozin…
Ya think she’d figure out how to STOP makin’ babies if she is so damned “overwhelmed” or ready to party.
haha—She might’a had a john waitin’, you know, the under-the-table welfare-to-work program?
2
CheekySweetie
Oct 6, 2008 at 2:14 pm -Piss poor judgment.
I know someone who did this a few years ago and got caught. I was so shocked when I heard about it. He did time-about 8 months in county and another 7 or 8 in prison. He’s out now and I asked him why he did it. He said his mom did it to him, and he was always fine so he figured it was fine. Granted, the kids were actually his girlfriend’s kids, so he wasn’t inundated from their birth with the ins and outs of supervising children, but still. Damn stupid. (BTW, the mother only got probation. I thought that was a little backwards. But they were both wrong.)
3
CassieMomma
Oct 6, 2008 at 2:27 pm -What a brave little girl to call 911 for help and smart. I’m not going to let my mind wander, but the things that could of happened and the 6 month old with a heart condition……..
4
DeziDoo
Oct 6, 2008 at 3:30 pm -It really just floors me that people can be so stupid. Who does that? My first baby was on an apnea monitor 24/7 and we would barely even leave the ROOM where he was.
5
Rory28
Oct 6, 2008 at 3:54 pm -WoW…That was incredibly Racist!,LOL…:-/…
6
sugarglider
Oct 6, 2008 at 4:00 pm -Well, rory28, for all we know, she might have run out for a quart of milk. Would that mean she had behaved in an unwise and negligent manner? Yes. Would it mean her children are better off in the system with some crappy foster parents? Almost certainly not. She cared enough to show her kid how to dial 911, after all. Of course, running out for a quart of milk doesn’t take an hour and a half. Maybe she was at work (legitimate work)? Maybe the state should find out why she wasn’t home… She might need some help with childcare. Interesting story.
7
silvahalo
Oct 6, 2008 at 5:30 pm -This young mother absolutely sounds overwhelmed. An infant that is special needs and a 4yr. old….screams…help!! for this young mother.
By no means am I condoning negligent behavior and potentially very dangerous. I’m thinking very young mother with little to no support…*F* hard….stupid, stupid judgments.
I’m a stay-home mama at the moment and I find it overwhelming at times with my 1yr. old and 4yr. old boys and I have a loving, supportive husband helping me!
8
Lilbay
Oct 6, 2008 at 6:32 pm -Exactly If you can not handle it Don’t have anymore.
This is one smart cookie of a 4 year old. I have a feeling no matter what this lil one will come out on top.
9
justmeintn
Oct 6, 2008 at 6:40 pm -Rory28, I am going to assume that you think just because she is black that she is on welfare. Sorry to burst your bubble but statistics show that more white people are on welfare than blacks.
I do think that the neighbors could have helped before all this happened instead of waiting until after the fact to say she was always screaming at the kids. My son had an apnea monitor for two years and I tell you I nearly lost my mind at times because it was overwhelming. I could not imagine being in her shoes even if she did use poor judgement.
Her daughter knew how to call 911 so I am going to assume that she was doing her best at being a single mom. Maybe this is the first time she has done anything like this. Who knows?
Now, I’m going to duck and hide.
10
sugarglider
Oct 6, 2008 at 6:53 pm -Rory wasn’t saying that. He was responding to, & quoting, jenjen’s comment, which he said was racist…
I was wondering, too…more details needed!
11
Peeperann
Oct 7, 2008 at 9:27 am -Wow, smart little 4 year old! Good for her. And personally, this may not be popular after reading some of the comments, but she doesn’t deserve them back.
You do not leave your children home alone for ANY reason. What if a fire had started? What if some Pedo realized they were there alone? What if something had happend and the baby’s heart moniter when off?
I have a friend here who had her daughter taken away by the father as she said her 3 year old was sleeping and was just running her boyfriend to work on the other side of town. The police (thank God it was the police) found Ashley sleep walking down the road!
Too many things can happen and if she was feeling overwhelmed, their had to be someone she could have called.
12
CassieMomma
Oct 7, 2008 at 1:22 pm -I agree with you, she put them in harms way. Sorry no excuse, figure something else out. I guess I am part of the unpopularity (is that a word) as well
13
Senna
Oct 7, 2008 at 3:15 pm -This woman seems a little different from most of the negligent mothers I read about here. True, what she did was irresponsible no matter why she did it, but it seems like an isolated incident to me. A very pertinent detail is still unknown: what was she doing while her children were home alone? Was she out drinking with her friends or did her boss call her to work all of a sudden and threaten to fire her if she didn’t come in? The reason does make a difference. And, did she leave them with someone who might have bailed after she left? That, too, would make a difference.
If leaving her children alone while she went out and partied was a constant thing, I’d say, lock her up and send her kids to foster care. But it seems like this was a first time offense that may have had extrenuating circumstances. If it were a constant thing, I doubt the 4 year old would have been frightened enough to call 911. I think this woman should be offered parenting classes and some support, such as a call line or child care options. Parenting is a tough job when there are two parents and the children are healthy, but for a single parent with two children and one of them has special needs? To say that’s overwhelming is an understatement.
It’s very sad but true that a lot of mothers don’t get enough help and support when taking care of their babies. Back in the old days, most mothers had husbands with jobs to provide for them and female relatives & neighbors to help, teach and guide them. That’s just not how it is anymore. Nowadays, you have the baby and everyone expects you to not only know exactly what to do, right away, but you are also expected to get back to work. That attitude leads to a lot of babies dying or being left in dangerous situations especially if the mother is young and/or has coping problems. Motherhood is a demanding job. This is something I’m finding out for myself–and I have a devoted husband who provides for us, so I can stay home and care for my son. I have support from family and neighbors, but even still, there are times when I feel myself getting overwhelmed. I can only imagine how this poor woman felt on a day to day basis.
I’m not saying that what she did was right, mind you. Because it wasn’t. No matter what, young children should never be left alone. On the other hand, she shouldn’t be given the same treatment as a welfare queen who was out partying while her children were left home alone starving, dirty and afraid. She truly does sound like a loving mother who made a stupid mistake.
14
jenthgr8
Oct 7, 2008 at 3:52 pm -I’m so glad that no harm came to these children. And what a brave, intelligent 4 year old, for not only knowing how to call 911, and also for knowing when to call. How frightening for her.
And I’ma let loose with my 14th “What the fuck was she thinking” for the day. Everybody knows you don’t just leave your babies by yourself. A 4 year old is not equipped to deal with a 6 month old who requires medical attention.
15
hannahblu
Oct 7, 2008 at 4:46 pm -From the AFCD:
White 38.8%
Black 39.8%
Hispanic 15.7%
Asian 2.4%
other 3.3%
16
jenjen0135
Oct 7, 2008 at 5:02 pm -Nope, Nothing AT ALL Racist about it. I have seen many colors, sizes, ethnic backgrounds, and classes of people who like to make a buck on the side without the government knowing. Craigslist personals are quite a read… How many *Roses* do you want to spend…? I work in the building enforcement division. Do you know how many people of different races I see on a DAILY basis working under the table? Everyone from Groundwork, framers, insulators, painters, roofers, sheetrock guys, cleaning crews…
I have worked for different branches of government for over 15 years, have been a landlord to Section 8 tenants of various shades, and I personally can tell you that any of the above shades can work the system.
If this chick needed the cash bad enough, and had gotten away with it before- or even thought she could get away with it “just once”, she apparently figured she could do it this time.
You may want to educate yourself on JUST what racism is before you go accusing anyone of anything.
17
hunnie
Oct 8, 2008 at 2:49 pm -the 911 call was made at 10:00 pm on a saturday night, no telling how long the momma had been gone (before 10:00) and the little girl was only four years old, with a newborn…. Thank God the four year old had more sense then the momma, take her kids away…… before they end up like baby Caylee Anthony
18
tisha
Oct 9, 2008 at 2:17 am -I am a married mother with two kids. But I do infact know what it felt like to be a single mom at once its not easy! No I do not approve of her actions but, I do beleave that theres more to the story. What I can say about her is that she was responsible for my baby every day I picked him up he was clean, fead, and seemed to be taken care of my son loved her! W hen she went on leave I was a little hurt because she done a wonderful job! Her daughter was always clean when I saw her. Toya was a very sweet person and seemed very responsible I believe that she made a mistake ! I don’t agree with her actions but every one make mistakes I know that people will bash on her but the question is what have u done that the media dont know about? so happen she was caught! I bet people do this all the time even if its just steppin’ outside for a brief moment! Allow god to be her judge not us because we dont know all the truth!!!How ever this story unfolds My prayers is that the children are safe and takin’ care of and I also pray for the mom!
19
Lilbay
Oct 9, 2008 at 9:53 am -I too think that there may be more to this one than we are hearing. Grant you if she was out partying then hey i am all for getting her a charge or two with jail time and kids off to foster.
Sorry though knowing what i do about how screwed up in some cities the foster system is I am leery about yelling that in some cases. This is one of them.
We are always so quick to yell Foster care but how many of you have experienced the horrors of being in foster care? Are you aware how many states right no have too few foster homes and how many kids go to institutions until a home is open?
Not a pretty picture which is why in this case i think there needs to be someone to work with this Mom and make sure this does not happen again.
What ever happened I have seen DSS involved with families and that be the final thing and that Mom turn it all around and get her shit together. In cases where it is not a constant this type thing can be a wake up call and be enough for that Mom to never muck up again.
Lets pray that since she took such good care of them up to that incident that this is the case with her.
20
philly_phan
Oct 11, 2008 at 7:33 pm -Who is partying w/ her stupid ass??? Per MS, she has 2 friends! And one of them is Tom! Fucking asshole.
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