Plenty of parents like to enjoy a drink or two to help them wind down. Consuming alcohol in moderation isn’t a big deal, but when drinking interferes with parenting and causes us to make poor decisions, then it’s probably time to give up the booze. Lucia Victoria Marie Cruz, a 35-year-old mom from Texas, recently found herself in jail after apparently imbibing a bit too much, rendering her unable to take care of her daughter. She reportedly told the child to walk to school 19 miles away and sent her out the door without a phone. Thankfully, a good Samaritan picked up the child and helped her contact authorities.
Cruz allegedly became extremely intoxicated on February 18, 2026, according to a Bexar County Sheriff’s Office report obtained by KSAT. The following morning, her daughter, who is less than 12 years old, claimed she could not wake up her mom to take her to school. Cruz reportedly told the child to walk the nearly 19 miles to Carnahan Elementary School in San Antonio. While she walked, someone approached the child and asked if she needed help.
KSAT reported that the witness took her to school, and the witness informed the Northside Independent School District Police Department about what happened. The child claimed her mom drank an entire bottle of wine the night before and could not get up to take her to school. Although the walk to school was dangerous, the child apparently thought she had no choice.
“My wife would kill me,” neighbor James Nuells told KSAT. “My kids barely even walk down the street to take the bus, and I walk with them.”
Nuells added that the area where the child had to walk is not safe. “It’s super congested with all the traffic and stuff like that,” he said. “So having a little girl like that walk down 211 don’t make no sense.”
Police arrested Cruz a short time later, and prosecutors charged her with child endangerment. She posted bond less than 24 hours after her arrest, KSAT reported. Her daughter went to stay with a relative.
Alcohol can wreak havoc on a person’s life. Even when they think they have it under control, things can change very quickly. Hopefully, Cruz can get the help she needs, and her daughter will be able to move back in with her soon in a safer home.
