By Bonnie Culverhouse
A Minden woman was arrested by Webster Parish Sheriff’s deputies after leaving her children alone without proper supervision, and her 15-year-old son and three other juveniles were taken into custody for possession of firearms.
Haley Todd Rhodes, 35, of the 500 block of Lanning Street, is charged with 2 counts of cruelty to a juvenile.
Sheriff Jason Parker said deputies conducted a traffic stop around 2 a.m. Monday in Dixie Inn because the driver failed to stop at the traffic light.
“The driver was found to be a 15-year-old juvenile who was without an adult,” Parker said. “He had with him three other juveniles ranging in ages from 15 to 17.”
Deputies recovered firearms, one of which was reported stolen, and high caliber ammunition in the vehicle.
“Deputies tried unsuccessfully multiple times to contact the mother, identified as Rhodes, by calling her cell phone,” the sheriff said.
Minden Police officers reportedly went to Rhodes’ residence and knocked on the door.
“Her 6-year-old child answered the door and let the officers inside,” said the sheriff. “Officers said the home was filled with dirty clothes, roaches, moldy food and multiple dirty diapers.”
A 4-year-old child, alleged to have special needs, was also found in the home.
“Rhodes contacted the sheriff’s office and stated she was on the way,” Parker said. “She was arrested around 5 a.m. when she arrived at the sheriff’s office. She told deputies she had been at a casino in Bossier.”
Rhodes reportedly told deputies she had left her teen-age son at home to watch the two younger children.
“She stated that he often watches the younger children from Monday through Friday while she is at work, and that she stays at the casino in Bossier on some Saturdays,” the sheriff said. “She also said she cleaned the home before she left but hadn’t been home since around 7 the night before. But she also didn’t know her teen-age son was out driving around at 2 o’clock in the morning.”
Rhodes reportedly said she knew the 15-year-old occasionally smoked marijuana, while the teen said he knew he was responsible for his brother and sister during the time of the traffic stop when they were home alone. He also stated his mother would not answer a phone call or talk to police.
All four juveniles were released into a family member’s custody, while Child Protective Services took the 4 and 6 year olds.
“We are discussing charges for the juveniles with the DA’s office,” Parker said. “We are just glad to get those weapons off the streets before someone got hurt.”
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
