Shanita Murdock left her kids alone during blackout

**Jaded** · February 2nd, 2009, 09:08 PM

A Louisville mother is facing charges she left her three young children alone for 12 hours during the height of last week's power outages.

According to arrest records, 23-year-old Shanita Murdock's 5-year-old child called 911 because the children hadn't eaten since Murdock left them. WLKY obtained a copy of that call:

911 OPERATOR: "911...what's your emergency?" 911 OPERATOR: "Hello?" CHILD: "Who are you?" 911 OPERATOR: "This is 911. Do you have an emergency?" CHILD: "I need my mama back. She's not here."

When officers arrived at the apartment in the 1200 block of W. Jefferson, the report said they found the 5-year-old, a 3-year-old and 1-year-old alone. The report said the 1-year-old child had a soiled diaper.

Taylor said the apartment did have power at the time and that Murdock told officers she'd left the children with a babysitter, but didn't elaborate on where she'd been. Taylor said the children were taken into protective custody.

Murdock faces three counts of wanton endangerment and three counts of endangering the welfare of a minor. A woman claiming to be Murdock called the WLKY newsroom to inquire about why the station aired her mug shot, but she declined to comment on the charges.

http://www.wlky.com/cnn-news/18622947/detail.html

**Silvahalo** · February 3rd, 2009, 12:03 AM

"I need my mama back. She's not here."

...just breaks my heart.

The CEO of Home of the Innocents, Gordon Brown, said his facility has seen a number of similar cases recently. Brown attributed some of them to the economy and said that, in some cases, parents were making poor choices because "their backs were against the wall." Brown said he finds that some parents leave their kids home alone so they can go to work to support their families.

I understand how difficult it must be for a single mother trying to provide for her children. But leaving your 5, 3 and 1yr. old, unattended to fend for themselves isn't an option. I'm not certain this mother is single mom, but she is a complete idiot. How could a mother do that and not go out of her mind with worry? Ass. Serves her right her mug was shown on the news...can't believe she called to complain about that. I'd like to see her mug too.

Be well and safe little ones.

**Morgana** · February 3rd, 2009, 04:01 PM

Fuck that! In 2002 we had a blackout in New York City, well all over the state. My husband was home at the time and I worked downtown manhattan. I walked over 13 miles home to the Bronx in the dark to make sure they were ok!!!!! I stopped to use the bathroom at his mom's in upper manhattan, she wanted me to stay, NO, I gotta get to my family, bloody feet and all!!!!! (cell phones didn't work due to overloading the circuit).
We actually left NYC cuz it was two hot and one of my cats was hyperventilating (long hair) so we drove upstate to my parents in the mountains and when we got out of the vehicle we were chased by skunks in heat who sound like squealing pigs!!! My feet were so hurt from that bloody walk and now I was runny from skunks, wanted to die.....sorry off topic a little...

She has three kids, how could any mom leave them unattended now knowing what is happening. Mine couldn't be left alone in the next room for more than a couple minutes without me having to check on them...!!!!