Police have a warrant for the arrest of Rayshawna Deanna Dowdell, who will be charged with one count of abandoning a child without intent to return, according to charging documents obtained by PEOPLE
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NEED TO KNOW
- Rayshawna Deanna Dowdell is believed to have abandoned her 11-year-old and six-year-old children for six weeks at their home in Katy, Texas
- Child Protective Services and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office allegedly discovered messages indicating that Dowdell was sending her daughters food via Uber Eats
- Police allege that Dowdell had left the state, and it is unclear if she remains at large
Authorities in Texas allege a mother of two abandoned her children for weeks, sending them meals via Uber Eats in her absence.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) previously said it was searching for Rayshawna Deanna Dowdell, who is believed to have left her two daughters, ages 6 and 11, at her home in Katy, Texas for six weeks, beginning on Feb. 17, according to charging documents viewed by PEOPLE. It is unclear if she remains at large.
The HCSO intends to charge Dowdell, 34, with one felony count of abandoning a child, per the documents.
The Harris County Assistant District Attorney recommended a $50,000 bail for Dowdell, according to a motion for sufficient bail obtained by PEOPLE. In the motion, prosecutors asked the court to bar Dowdell from contacting her children or any other family members.
Dowdell, 34, "intentionally abandoned" the two children, leaving them "exposed to an unreasonable risk of harm" after they were "left without adequate adult supervision for an extended period of time, without adequate protection, and without ready access to food, and without the intent to return," the charging documents allege.
The probable cause statement alleges that Dowdell "intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly engaged in contact that placed her children in imminent danger of bodily injury, physical impairment, or mental harm."
The charging document alleges that Dowdell's two daughters encountered a woman at a nearby park and disclosed to her that they had been left unattended by their mother. Police say the woman took the girls into her home and called police on March 30, per the charging documents.
In their investigation from Feb. 17 through March 30, authorities determined that the 11-year-old, whose name has not been released, was responsible for "caring for her younger sibling" as well as "preparing for school, managing daily needs, and attempting to obtain food." Police recovered messages allegedly exchanged between Dowdell and her eldest daughter, indicating that Dowdell had been instructing her remotely on daily functions and sending food via Uber Eats.
In the messages, police allege that Dowdell indicated that she was out of state during this period to attend a funeral. Messages sent by the 11-year-old indicated that she experienced "distress, fear, lack of food, and inability to continue caring for her sibling," Rogers found, per the charging document.
The 11-year-old later allegedly disclosed to authorities that there had been "inappropriate contact and discipline within the home," per the documents.
Dowdell's residence where the children were kept was described as "cluttered and unkempt" and "lacked available food." Investigators also alleged that the residence was unsecured due to an unlocked back door, posing potential danger.
Patrick Rogers, an investigator with Child Protective Services (CPS), found that Dowdell "provided conflicting and misleading information regarding their care and whereabouts," per the document.
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As a result of investigations conducted by HCSO and CPS, the two girls were temporarily placed in the care of their aunt on March 30. When Dowdell learned of their placement, authorities allege that she got into an altercation with the children's aunt, and proceeded to take her children and fled the state with them. Rogers was unable to reach Dowdell beginning on April 6, per the documents.
Police then attempted to conduct at least five welfare checks, but were unsuccessful because Dowdell allegedly supplied false information about her children's whereabouts to investigators.
Due to Dowdell's actions, "including providing misleading information, evading law enforcement, and failing to provide verifiable supervision, the children's whereabouts were unknown for a period time, increasing concern for their safety," police intend to pursue a felony charge, per the charging document.
The children were ultimately located out of state in Ohio, "where their presence was later confirmed by law enforcement during a welfare check at a residence."
It is unclear if police are still searching for Dowdell.
PEOPLE has reached out to the HCSO for comment on the investigation.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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