Real talk: Having a baby will utterly rock your world. You think you’re ready, that you know what to expect, but then the little one finally arrives and suddenly nothing makes sense. Before having my son, I was out with friends often, going wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted, and enjoying all the child-free luxuries to their fullest extent. When he arrived, even leaving the house needed careful planning, and truthfully, it was exhausting and overwhelming at first. Then you grow and start prioritizing your child’s safety and comfort while navigating your new “normal.”
I say all of that with an acknowledgement that moms do in fact need breaks. They need time to reconnect with themselves and fill their own cups so they can be present mentally in their kids’ lives. But it can only happen when their child is under the safe and watchful eye of a trusted adult. A lot of moms sadly don’t have that in their lives for free, which means they have two options: Find a trusted sitter to pay or stay home. Law & Crime recently reported Texas mom Justice Lee Moncibaiz, who is accused of choosing a third option … abandonment.
According to the outlet, Moncibaiz left her 3-year-old home completely alone, behind an unlocked door, to go out for a night of drinking with friends. The Texas toddler was found by Abilene authorities in September 2025, after a complaint was called in at an apartment complex where neighbors saw the toddler at the bottom of a staircase sitting in a soiled diaper. According to ABC affiliate KTXS 12, police found an unlocked apartment where they were able to ascertain the child lived with Moncibaiz.
Police contacted her and she returned to the apartment four minutes later. Moncibaiz claimed she left her child with a relative, but later investigations revealed family members said that no one had been in contact with the “family member” for some time.
An interview with police a few days after the incident resulted in an alleged confession, and the mom reportedly admitted to leaving the toddler alone because she “just needed a night out.”
Although it is unclear what took authorities months to arrest her, Moncibaiz was arrested in January 2026. She faces child abandonment with the intent to return charges, though her court date has not been finalized. Moncibaiz was taken into custody at Taylor County Jail, where she posted a $5,000 bond.
