Groves woman allegedly leaves 1-, 4-year-old children for hours in motel

Published 12:16 am Friday, May 10, 2024

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A Groves woman reportedly left her young children alone in a motel room for upwards of two hours while traveling to get diapers and food.

The woman, identified as Alma Delia Torres, 23, was indicted this week by a Jefferson County grand jury on a charge of abandon/endanger child with intent to return.

Groves Police Department officers were dispatched to Jonathan’s Inn, 6259 Gulfway Drive, at approximately 8:33 p.m. March 27 in reference to an open 911 line.

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Central Dispatch reported hearing a child on the phone.

An officer checked the area and stopped at one of the rooms because of noise from a television and children. When the officer knocked on the door, a small child answered and said his mother, Alma, was gone, according to a probable cause affidavit.

The officer entered the room and found a 1-year-old and a 4-year-old but no adult.

Surveillance videos reportedly showed the mother leave at approximately 6:30 p.m. and not return.

The on-call Child Protective Services personnel was called, and there was an attempt to reach the mother or the children’s father.

While the officer was speaking with CPS, a white passenger car went through the parking lot and made a circle, and the driver reportedly covered her face as she passed by, police said.

The officer recognized the driver as the mother of the children after receiving her driver’s license photograph.

The woman was located at 5401 Gulfway Drive and allegedly said she had only just left to pick up food and diapers from her mother.

Torres was arrested March 27 with bond set at $4,000. She bonded out the next day, according to information from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.