Playing outside is a quintessential part of summer for any kid. Getting out and playing in the sunshine is important. But there are limits to what is safe for kids when they’re outside. Evidently failing to realize that, Indiana mom Lissandra Denis now faces charges of neglect after leaving her child outside for a prolonged period.
Allegedly, the child was outside for most of the day, unattended. As temperatures began to rise, the mother was nowhere to be found, but her child was still outside in the sun. Eventually, concerned neighbors stepped in and got the child some help.
Evansville Police were called to an apartment complex around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 22, 2025, WEVV reported. Police were told there was a child outside yelling for its mother, whom no one could locate.
When they arrived, police spoke with witnesses who had seen the child outside at around 7 o’clock that morning. They claimed the mother went to an apartment away from where the child was playing, on the opposite side of the complex. Witnesses also said they saw the child trying to get into an apartment, but the door was locked. That’s when they began calling for their mother.
At the time police arrived, the temperature outside was 96 degrees, WFIE reported. The heat index was 101 degrees. The child reportedly didn’t have access to food or water. No one saw Denis go outside to check on her child during the day.
When police finally did find Denis, she told them she was doing laundry. She said she let the child play outside while she did the chore. Police said they asked Denis repeatedly what time she started doing laundry, but every time they asked, she kept changing the subject.
Police arrested Denis and charged her with child neglect. She is held at the Vanderburgh County Jail without bond. Her child, who hasn’t been identified, is in the custody of their father.
If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child), or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.
