In the early morning hours of Friday, December 5, a concerned homeowner reviewed a wildlife recording camera they had installed, only to discover a troubling sight. A two-year-old girl was captured on video wandering alone in the woods barefoot, wearing only a dress, at 3 am.
Upon seeing the footage, the homeowner immediately contacted the police out of fear for the child’s safety. A massive search operation was launched to locate the missing toddler, but it was later revealed that she had already been found.
Hayley Peoples, 21, reached out to the authorities just after 7 am and confessed that her daughter had wandered out of their home hours earlier. She claimed to have found the child at 4:15 am but delayed reporting to the police despite being aware of the search efforts.
Law enforcement officers visited Peoples’ residence in Texas and discovered unsanitary conditions including trash, soiled clothing, rotting food, rat droppings, and a strong urine smell. The child found in the house was also dirty.
Peoples refused assistance and declined to change her child’s clothing. Consequently, she was apprehended for endangering the child’s welfare due to the hazardous environment and refusal of medical care. During the investigation, the toddler’s grandmother, Rebecca Kelly, showed up at the scene but left when asked to wait for a supervisor.
Subsequently, it was uncovered that Kelly attempted to remove the toddler’s three siblings under the age of eight from school before 9 am. She informed school staff that Child Protective Services were arriving and cautioned the siblings not to discuss the incident, labeling it a “private family matter.”
Law enforcement condemned Kelly’s actions as an attempt to impede a child safety investigation, putting the siblings at risk and obstructing efforts to ensure their well-being. Kelly was detained at the school, and all four children were taken to the hospital for evaluation.
Peoples was arrested on charges of child abandonment, endangerment, and causing imminent bodily harm, while Kelly was arrested for obstructing the investigation into abuse and neglect. Both women were taken into custody at Bexar County Jail. Peoples was released on a $50,000 bond, and Kelly was freed after posting a $7,500 bail, as reported by Mirror US.
The Mirror has requested additional comments from the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office regarding this incident.