NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — A Florida woman has been arrested after authorities accused her of leaving her four young children, including a two-month-old infant, alone at home while she took a three-day cruise to the Bahamas.
Nathalie Belizaire, 29, of North Miami Beach, faces four counts of child neglect without great bodily harm, according to police. Her attorney has denied the allegations.
Children Found Alone Inside Apartment
According to North Miami Beach police, the father of Belizaire’s two-month-old child became concerned after seeing a WhatsApp post that appeared to show a cruise ticket purchase.
Belizaire reportedly told him that the children would be staying with their great-grandmother while she traveled. However, when he went to Belizaire’s apartment on Saturday night, he noticed the television was on and heard children inside. He then contacted emergency services.
Police and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel entered the residence and found all four children inside without an adult present. Authorities said the children were together in a bathroom when officers located them.
The children included a two-month-old baby and a two-year-old child, according to the arrest report.
Great-Grandmother Says Children Were Never Dropped Off
Investigators later spoke with the children’s great-grandmother, who said Belizaire had told her that she would bring the children over because she was leaving town. Police said the children were never brought to her home.
Belizaire’s brother also told investigators that his sister sent him a message around 8 p.m. Saturday asking him to check on the children.
Police said they attempted several times to contact Belizaire but were unsuccessful.
Investigators subsequently determined that Belizaire had purchased a three-day cruise ticket aboard the Carnival Conquest, with the ship scheduled to depart for the Bahamas on Sept. 25.
According to the arrest report, she allegedly left all four children at the residence without adult supervision while traveling on the cruise.
Arrest Made After Cruise Returned to Miami
Authorities were waiting for Belizaire when the cruise ship returned to PortMiami on Monday. She was taken into custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection before being turned over to North Miami Beach police.
Police said Belizaire declined to provide a statement and exercised her right to remain silent.
Investigators said the evidence gathered during the case provided probable cause to believe the children had been left without the care and supervision necessary to protect them from a substantial risk of harm.
During a bond hearing Tuesday, a judge set Belizaire’s bond at $10,000 and ordered her to stay away from the children.
The children were reported safe and placed in foster care, according to authorities.
Belizaire’s attorney has maintained that she denies the allegations. The charges remain allegations, and the case will proceed through the legal system.
