An Ohio mother, Dominique Knowles, has been convicted of child endangerment after leaving her three young daughters at home while she traveled to Miami. Knowles, who faced two counts of endangering children, left her 7-year-old twin daughters and 10-year-old daughter alone for three days in February to go on vacation, according to a ruling from a judge this week, told the Independent.
The situation came to light when a concerned teacher requested a welfare check. On February 22, officers arrived at Knowles’ apartment and discovered the home in a state of “disarray.” Court records revealed that garbage and bags were scattered across the floor, and the children had no access to a phone to contact their mother. The children told officers that they had been communicating with their mother through Nest cameras and FaceTime on a MacBook tablet. However, when officers arrived, the tablet was not charged and was non-operational.
Knowles was arrested when she returned home. During questioning, she initially denied being out of state but refused to disclose her whereabouts. Police later subpoenaed her phone records, which confirmed she had made or received 50 calls while in Florida between February 21 and February 23. Knowles’ mother and friend were interviewed, and both confirmed they were unaware of her travel plans.
According to Westlake Law Director Michael Maloney, Knowles later explained to police that she had gone to Miami to support a friend undergoing liposuction surgery, according to WKYC.
At her sentencing hearing on Wednesday, Knowles expressed regret for her actions, stating, “I understand what I did was wrong, and this absolutely would never happen again. I did believe my kids were able to dress themselves and get themselves to school. I wouldn’t dare let anything happen to my kids. I wish I could go back and change the circumstances.”
Choosing to forgo a jury trial, Knowles was found guilty by Judge Joseph T. Burke of the Rocky River Municipal Court. In his verdict, Judge Burke emphasized the dangers of leaving the children alone: “They could have started a fire, hurt themselves, or been taken by a stranger. But most of all, they needed their mother to be there.”
Knowles was sentenced to five years of probation, ordered to attend parenting classes and mental health counseling, and fined $800. She also received 360 days of house arrest, with permission to leave for work. Judge Burke concluded, “It is now time for you to become the mother that your daughters deserve, need, and require.”