Police in Texas have arrested a man and woman after they allegedly refused to drive their young daughter to school, forcing her to walk on a busy road alone instead. Midland police arrested Ta’Lyjah Monea Conner, 23, and Devonte Tremayne Hall, 27, who both face felony charges of endangering a minor. Multiple witnesses called 911 after seeing a child walking alone on a busy service road. Thankfully, she remained safe, but the situation could have been deadly.
According to KMID, police located the unidentified young child about 6:30 a.m. March 6, 2025, in the 1600 block of Rankin Highway. The sky was still dark at that time as sunrise began and traffic ramped up. Officers pulled into a gas station and approached the child. She reportedly said Hall typically drove her to school but that morning he refused.
Officers determined the child walked alone for approximately 45 minutes before they made contact with her. The girl told police she was headed to Pease Magnet Elementary School. Per KMID, had she continued walking, her trip would have lasted more than 90 minutes.
The child reportedly said this was the first time she had walked to school and could not tell officers where she lived. Sadly, it appears she did not know where she was going and admitted to police she was nearly hit by a car, KMID reported.
During the investigation, police learned the child stayed with Hall and Conner at a Best Western on East Interstate 20. Officers arrested Hall and Conner, who are no longer in police custody. It is unclear when they will be in court next.
The story caught the attention of local residents who didn’t understand how a parent could let their young child walk alone.
One person shared on KMID’s Facebook page, “Elementary kids should NOT be walking to school PERIOD! Especially if you have a vehicle! This could’ve gone way worse SMH!”
But someone else joked about walking to school years ago, writing, “Now wait a minute. I walked to school uphill both ways. Now it’s illegal!?”
At least one commenter tried to put the story into perspective. “Obviously the older generations walked to school no big deal HOWEVER, I’m willing to bet they weren’t alone and probably not as young as this child seems to be,” the person wrote. “Kids aren’t safe out on the streets and this little one didn’t even know the correct path to take, shame on the parents for letting her out the door alone period!”
