In Houston, Texas, a man faces charges of abandoning two young children after they were discovered alone in an unlocked apartment on Wednesday night.
A concerned neighbor at the Maison De Ville apartments in the Greenspoint area reported finding a barefoot 4-year-old child wandering outside in the rain. Upon investigation, she also found a 2-year-old child inside the apartment.
Jeyson Martinez Zacapa, 26, was arrested on the same night. According to court documents, Zacapa claimed he had left to pick up his wife from work while the children were asleep. However, the neighbor who reported the incident informed officers that the children had been left alone two weeks prior, for as long as seven hours.
Community members expressed outrage at the situation. “It’s ridiculous. You should be responsible for your own kids,” remarked Michelle Stewart, who learned about the case Friday. Another woman expressed concern, calling Zacapa a “deadbeat parent” and questioning the decision to leave such young children unattended.
Prosecutors noted the area’s history of drug and gang activity in court documents. According to the ABC13 Neighborhood Safety Tracker, the Greenspoint area has reported more than triple the citywide homicide rate over the last 12 months and nearly twice the citywide assault rate.
Zacapa, originally from Honduras, is held on a $1,000 bond for the abandonment charge. Additionally, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed a hold on him.
