A mother from Texas is being sought by authorities for allegedly leaving her two young daughters alone in a disorderly home for six weeks, while providing them meals remotely.
Rayshawna Deanna Dowdell, 34, is accused of abandoning her 11-year-old daughter to look after her 6-year-old sister for more than a month at their disorganized residence in Katy, as per Harris County court documents referenced by The Post.
In late March, a concerned woman informed the police that the children were staying with her, having confided in her at a local park about their mother’s prolonged absence, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Investigations revealed that the children were left alone at home from February 17 to March 30, during which the 11-year-old was responsible for her younger sibling’s care, including getting her ready for school and providing food, as alleged in court documents.
Despite her absence, Dowdell reportedly remained in contact with her children by sending them meals via Uber Eats, according to a motion for sufficient bail.
Text messages from the 11-year-old revealed her feelings of “distress, fear, lack of food, and inability to continue caring for her sibling,” according to documents.
The home where the girls were left was described by police as “cluttered, unkempt, and lacking available food,” with an unlocked back door.
Dowdell admitted to deputies that she had been out of town for a funeral, although court documents note there was no digital evidence that she informed her daughters about her return date.
Child Protective Services had placed the children with their aunt, but the arrangement fell apart when Dowdell allegedly got into a physical confrontation with the new caregiver, the documents stated.
It is further alleged that Dowdell then took the children without disclosing their whereabouts and avoided welfare checks, according to the affidavit.
Investigators later found the two girls in Ohio.
As of Wednesday, Dowdell remains at large, according to court records.
Prosecutors have set her bail at $50,000 on a felony charge of abandoning a child with no intention to return.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for additional information regarding her possible location.
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