My husband just got back being away for so long because his in the Army, but anyways it was our 15 anniversary. We decided to go to New Orleans for about five days. We couldn’t find a babysitter for our two children and we couldn’t bring them with us because my son was on house arrest so he wasn’t allowed to go anywhere besides to school, home, and church. So we decided to leave our son in charge of our eight year old daughter to watch over for a few days. All he had to do was make sure they fed themselves, got to school on time, and make sure the doors were locked before they left and went to bed. My husband and I called them every morning and night to make sure they were doing okay.
    My husband and I were having a blast we haven’t been together alone for a while cause of the kids and him being in the Army. But then we started to miss our children. It was the last night being away, we decided to go home, and our daughter was getting sick and our son didn’t know what to do. So we got in our car and started to drive back home. So we pulled up to our house around noon. We never thought we would see such a horrible sight. We drove up to a couple cop cars, DCF, and our neighbors outside our house. I saw an ambulance and I ran out the car. I was in tears I couldn’t see my children anywhere. I was thinking about my kids being hurt or worst. I was grabbed by a police officer they asked who I was and I told them. The cop put on handcuffs and put me in his car. I was yelling and crying, “WHAT DID I DO!?” “WHERE ARE MY BABIES!?” I saw my husband running up to the house and get grabbed and got put in the other cop car handcuffed. After a couple minutes thinking the worst a mother can think about her babies, I saw my kids running to me in the car crying and asking “why I and daddy were arrested”. I didn’t know what to say to them. They were pulled away by a DCF lady and put in a car and they drove off. I busted out crying my eyes out. Not knowing what was going on. But I was happy my babies were okay…
      Two hours later my husband and I were put in the investigating room. I asked where were my children and if they were okay. They didn’t tell us anything about them. My husband asked why were arrested and on what charges. They told us we were arrested on child abuse charges after allegedly leaving our children alone for five days. We were also charged on contributing to a juvenile being neglected. We were released after posting $10,000 unsecured bonds. I guess our daughter’s teacher was the one who called the authorities on us because she had a paper we needed to sign and no one was home and she said “Mommy and Daddy is in New Orleans for a week” and then she said “It’s only my brother and I at home alone” . But I don’t mind it at all. I’m just glad my babies are okay.
                                                                    -Jennifer Walden
*this story is inspired by: Soldier, wife charged after children left alone for days