In the early hours of Friday, December 5, a homeowner noticed troubling footage on their wildlife recording camera. The video showed a two-year-old girl alone in the woods at 3 am, barefoot and wearing only a dress.
Alarmed, the homeowner contacted the police, who launched a frantic search fearing for the child’s safety. Fortunately, the toddler was located shortly after 7 am when Hayley Peoples, 21, revealed that her daughter had wandered away from home at 4:15 am. Shockingly, Peoples delayed reporting the incident to the authorities.
Upon visiting Peoples’ residence in Texas, officials discovered unsanitary and hazardous conditions, including trash, spoiled food, and rat droppings. The child found at the house was also in a dirty state. Despite this, Peoples refused to change the child’s clothes or seek medical help.
Authorities detained Peoples for child abandonment and endangerment, citing the severe risks posed to the child. Additionally, the toddler’s grandmother, Rebecca Kelly, attempted to interfere with the investigation by removing the other siblings from school, leading to her arrest for obstructing the abuse and neglect probe.
Peoples and Kelly were both arrested and booked into the Bexar County Jail. Peoples secured a bond of $50,000 (£37,000) while Kelly posted a bail of $7,500 (£5,600) for their release. The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office may provide further details on the incident.
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