Indiana – Tenisha Ann Echols, a 27-year-old woman from Indiana, has been arrested again on child neglect charges after allegedly abandoning her four young children for nearly two weeks. This arrest comes as Echols was already on probation for a 2019 child neglect case involving the tragic death of her infant daughter.
The latest arrest stemmed from a disturbing call made by her 8-year-old daughter to her grandmother. The child reported that she and her three younger siblings, ages 6, 2, and 4 months, were left alone without adult supervision. When the grandmother arrived at the home and saw the conditions, she immediately contacted authorities.
Conditions Found by Authorities
According to reports from Fox 59, responding officers arrived to find the apartment door unlocked, food and garbage scattered across the floor, and mattresses without sheets.
The 8-year-old child told police that she had tried to reach her mother several times by phone but had been unsuccessful. The child also indicated that being left in charge of her siblings was not unusual.
When authorities contacted Echols, she returned home around 10 p.m., initially claiming she had been gone for only 20 minutes to buy medicine.
However, after officers relayed her daughter’s statements, Echols admitted to regularly leaving the children in her 8-year-old’s care because she “doesn’t feel like dragging them all out of the house at once.”
A Troubling History of Neglect
This is not the first time Echols has faced serious charges of child neglect. In 2019, her 6-month-old daughter tragically died from blunt force trauma.
Echols pled guilty in that case and received what many considered a lenient sentence: two years of home detention, followed by two years of probation. At the time of her latest arrest, she was still serving probation for the earlier conviction.
Echols’ mother, who is now the legal guardian of the children, stated that she had no choice but to report her daughter to the authorities. In a statement, she urged others not to remain silent when children are at risk, saying, “Even if it’s your own family member, call the police.”
Children in Safe Custody
The four children are now in the custody of their grandmother and are reported to be safe. Echols is expected to appear in court in July.
This case has brought renewed attention to issues surrounding repeat child neglect offenders, the enforcement of probation conditions, and the role of family members in intervening to protect vulnerable children. It also highlights the dangers of placing caregiving responsibilities on young children who are not equipped to handle such burdens.