A woman was arrested months after allegedly abandoning her two children at home with no adequate food or medical attention.
Raven Yates, a 31-year-old mother from Texas, is accused of leaving her 12-year-old daughter and three-year-old son alone for two months.
She was apprehended in Alabama by US Marshals on charges of two counts of abandoning/endangering a child without intent to return.
Yates reportedly threatened her daughter not to tell anyone about the neglect. It wasn't until family members saw Yates in Mobile that the children's father was alerted to their situation.
Both children have since been placed in the care of their grandmother in Alabama, and Yates is currently being held in Mobile County jail awaiting extradition back to Texas.
Yates was reportedly all smiles and seemingly unbothered by the charges against her when apprehended.
Authorities said Yates abandoned her children in their home in Roman Forest, Texas, for two months starting on September 28.
The children were left without adequate food and medical attention, and the older child was able to procure food by regularly asking her father to order takeout under the guise that their mum was tied up at work.
In November, Yates was spotted in Mobile, Alabama, by family members who alerted the children's father, and on the 14th of that month, the father contacted the police, reporting that his children had been alone.
The father travelled to Texas and met with the police at the children's home. There was no food on the shelves or in the fridge, but the brother and sister appeared healthy.
Both children were subsequently placed in the care of their grandmother in Alabama.
A warrant for Yates' arrest was issued on December 8 for two counts of abandoning/endangering a child without intent to return, and the woman was finally apprehended by US Marshals on March 9, in Mobile, Alabama.
Roman Forest police Chief Stephen Carlisle told ABC13: "She was photographed in handcuffs with a full smile on her face and seemingly unbothered by the charges against her for allegedly putting her own children in danger.
"I don't know if she was playing a part or whatever it is, but she, I think, was playing for the camera. She wanted to have a smile. She wanted to look good.
"The arresting officer said she asked about putting lipstick on before the photo was taken."
Commenting on how the kids survived on their own for so long, Mr Carlisle added: "I guess the 12-year-old was very resourceful. But she shouldn’t have had to do that."
The chief added that apart from the refrigerator and cabinets being empty, officers also noticed a "heavy urine odour coming from the three-year-old's bed."
He said: "A 12-year-old cannot take care of a three-year-old for a long period of time, especially over a month and a half.
"It's dangerous and irresponsible of a parent. Without medical supplies or ways to get food, that's very dangerous."
