A 27-year-old Indiana mother, Tenisha Ann Echols, who was already on probation for the 2019 death of her 6-month-old daughter, has been arrested once more for allegedly leaving her four young children home alone for nearly two weeks. This latest arrest adds to her growing list of legal troubles, with authorities charging her with multiple counts of child neglect.
Disturbing Call Leads to Investigation
The situation came to light when Echols’ mother received a distressing call from her 8-year-old granddaughter. The young girl was crying and explained that she and her three younger siblings—a 6-year-old, a 2-year-old, and a 4-month-old—had been left alone at their apartment on Troy Avenue for an extended period. According to the child, she had barely seen her mother for the last two weeks and had been trying to contact Echols with no response.
At around 9:15 p.m. on Sunday, the mother called the police, which led officers to respond to the apartment complex. Upon arriving, they found the door to the apartment unlocked, with trash and half-eaten food scattered across the floor.
The children’s beds were bare, and there were signs that no adult had been around for days. It was clear that the children had been left in an unsafe environment.
A Frightening Situation for the Children
The 8-year-old girl explained to the police that her mother often left her in charge of the younger children, including the infant. She had attempted to reach Echols multiple times but received no answers. The officers managed to get in touch with Echols, who arrived at the apartment around 10 p.m.
She claimed that she had only gone out briefly to “get medicine for one of the kids,” but the timing of her return did not match up with the children’s account of events.
When questioned further, Echols allegedly admitted that she had been gone for the entire day and that she frequently left the children home alone, especially when she didn’t feel like bringing them all out at once. When asked if she thought it was safe to leave an 8-year-old in charge of a 4-month-old, Echols reportedly did not respond.
Previous Legal Troubles and Current Charges
At the time of her arrest, Echols was still on probation for the tragic 2019 death of her infant daughter, De’Reya. The baby died due to multiple blunt force injuries, including skull fractures, burns, and broken bones, and her death was ruled a homicide.
In July 2023, Echols pleaded guilty to neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury, and despite the severity of the case, she received a lenient sentence—two years of home detention followed by probation, with no prison time.
Echols’ latest actions, which violated her probation, have led to new charges of child neglect. A judge has ordered her to remain in pretrial detention without bond until her next court appearance on July 8. The children involved in the current case have been placed in the custody of their grandmother for their safety.
This disturbing case highlights the ongoing neglect of children under Tenisha Echols’ care, raising serious questions about her ability to provide a safe environment for her children. With her previous legal history and the new charges, the future of her parental rights and her criminal case remains uncertain. As authorities continue their investigation, the community waits to see how this case will unfold in court.
Leave a Reply