SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — A Florida mother faces four felony child neglect charges after police say she left her four young children, including a 2-month-old infant, home without adult supervision while taking a Bahamas cruise.
Nathalie Belizaire, 29, was arrested September 28 at Port Miami after returning aboard the Carnival Conquest. Authorities charged her with child neglect without great bodily harm. Her attorney said she denies the allegations.
According to an arrest report described by WSVN, officers went to Belizaire’s apartment September 26 after the infant’s father became concerned about the children’s safety. He told investigators Belizaire had said the children would stay with their great-grandmother during the trip.
When he visited the apartment, however, he heard children inside and saw a television operating through the blinds. He called 911.
Police and firefighters entered the residence and found all four children together in a bathroom without an adult present. Investigators said a 2-year-old was also among the children.
The children’s great-grandmother told police that Belizaire had promised to bring them to her home but never arrived. Belizaire’s brother reportedly received a text that evening asking him to check on them. Police said their attempts to reach Belizaire were unsuccessful.
During a September 29 hearing, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer expressed concern about the allegations. Bond was set at $10,000, and Belizaire was ordered to have no contact with the children.
WSVN reported that she posted bond and was released that night. The charges remain allegations, and the coverage reviewed reported no conviction.