A Florida mother, Nathalie Belizaire, 29, has been arrested after allegedly leaving her four young children alone for several days while she went on a cruise to the Bahamas.
Belizaire reportedly left the children at her North Miami Beach apartment on Friday before boarding the Carnival Conquest. She returned Monday after the four-day trip and was met by police officers.
Police said the father of her two-month-old baby became worried after seeing her cruise posts on social media. She allegedly told him the children were with their great-grandmother.
The father went to the apartment Saturday night and saw the television on. He also heard the children inside but could not find Belizaire. First responders later entered and found all four children without an adult. The siblings were reportedly hiding together in a bathroom.
Authorities said one child is two months old and another is two years old. The ages of the other two children were not disclosed.
Investigators said the great-grandmother told them Belizaire never brought the children to her. Police also alleged Belizaire asked her brother by text to check on them during the weekend.
Her attorney said she denies the allegations. Belizaire declined to speak to investigators and invoked her right to remain silent.
She faces four counts of child neglect without great bodily harm and was held at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. Her bond was set at $10,000.
