Westlake Mother Convicted for Leaving Special Needs Children Alone for Three Days
A Westlake mother faces potential jail time after authorities discovered she left her children home alone for nearly three days while she vacationed in Florida. Domonique Knowles, 32, monitored her children remotely via security cameras and occasionally checked in through FaceTime using a laptop.
The alarming situation came to light thanks to a concerned elementary school teacher who requested a welfare check. The teacher reported that one of the girls mentioned talking to their mother through the camera and that Knowles had ordered Uber Eats, leaving it at the door.
When police arrived at the family’s apartment, they found it in disarray, with spilled liquids covering the floor. During their visit, one of the twin girls slipped and fell.
Westlake’s prosecuting attorney, Michael Maloney, expressed shock upon reviewing the case. “Mom wasn’t really checking in. I’m not sure I’d have been happy with that. Remote work is one thing, but remote parenting is another, and the girls made that clear,” he said.
Eventually, police were able to locate Knowles’ mother, who was unaware that her daughter had left the children alone. “It was worse,” Maloney said. “Mom lied to her mother. There were adults available to help out.”
Knowles took her 8-month-old son with her to Florida, leaving her three other children at home. Although she initially denied leaving the state, police were able to prove she spent two nights in Miami. “She lied,” Maloney stated. “The detective caught on quickly. We have pretty good technology and well-trained detectives. They tracked her leaving Hopkins airport and the timing of calls placed from Miami, which matched the flight time.”
Police arrested Knowles and charged her with child endangerment. In body camera footage, she told officers, “My kids are allowed to be here by themselves.” The arresting officer responded, “Not when you have two special needs kids.”
Additionally, officers noted an unlocked patio door during their visit. “Every teacher and counselor at the school said there is no question these girls would have wandered off given the chance. I don’t want to think about the potential dangers—kidnapping, walking behind a car,” Maloney explained.
Knowles was found guilty of child endangerment earlier this month and is scheduled for sentencing on Wednesday, facing up to six months in prison.
