Texas mom arrested for ditching her toddler to go on a date over 150 miles away

Reese Louise Myers, a 25-year-old woman from Killeen, Texas, was arrested in California on November 5, 2024, on charges of child abandonment and endangerment. The charges stem from an incident in July 2023, when her 16-month-old child was discovered alone in her apartment under distressing circumstances.

According to Killeen police, when they responded to a report of the child being in danger, they found him in a dire situation. The toddler had managed to break through a window that had been improperly repaired with cardboard and plexiglass. He was found in the apartment with no diaper, a soiled t-shirt, and visible signs of neglect, including feces on his skin and possible diaper rash. Police also noted that two aggressive dogs were inside the apartment, and one of them had attacked neighbors who attempted to help rescue the child.

Myers initially told police that she had left the child with a babysitter while she went on a date with a man she met on the Hinge dating app. She claimed the babysitter was supposed to be watching her son during her trip to San Antonio, which was over 150 miles away from her home. However, when police contacted the alleged babysitter, the woman stated she had not heard from Myers in several months, casting doubt on Myers’ account.

Further investigation revealed that Myers had a history of neglecting her child, with reports from former roommates claiming Myers had left the child alone for extended periods, sometimes overnight. Social media reactions to the case suggested that the dogs inside the apartment were likely trying to protect the child, possibly pulling him back inside after he fell or crawled out of the broken window.

Myers, who had fled Texas after the incident, was eventually arrested at Fort Irwin Army Base in Southern California and extradited back to Texas. She is currently being held on a $25,000 bond, though she has not yet entered a plea. The case adds to a growing list of child endangerment incidents in Texas, including another case from a month earlier where a woman left her children with the decomposing body of their sibling.