A Crowley woman has been arrested in St. Landry Parish after deputies say three children were found alone and sleeping inside a van at an Opelousas home.
Deputies say on May 11, 2022, they received tip information from Crime Stoppers of Acadia Parish, which stated that Laquanda Guillory was wanted in Acadia Parish for 3 counts of child desertion and could be located at a home on the 4200 block of Highway 357 in the Opelousas area.
When St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived at the address, it was determined that the door to the home was open and no one was at the residence, however, a blue van was parked in the driveway. When the deputies looked inside the vehicle through the windows, a child under the age of 12 and another child under the age of 7 were seen sleeping in the 3rd row of the van.
At the time, deputies noted the temperature as 81°. Deputies knocked on the window but were unable to wake the children. Another child under the age of 11 met deputies outside and stated that they did not know the location of their mother, Laquanda Guillory.
The children in the vehicle were removed and put in the back seat of the air-conditioned police unit. All of the juveniles, deputies noted, were shaking and sweat was dripping from their faces. They also allegedly had a strong body odor due to poor hygiene and their clothing appeared to be dirty and stained.
While searching the residence, deputies noticed a strong, unclean odor coming from the residence and the lack of electricity. Deputies say the house was not suitable for living in and the doors did not lock.
The children allegedly told deputies that their mother made them sleep in the van due to no air conditioning in the home while she slept elsewhere. They also stated that their mother returns in the morning to get the children ready for school. One child stated she was wearing the same school clothes since the beginning of the week.
Deputies then transported the juveniles to the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office Safety Complex.
Later that evening, Laquanda Guillory called the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office to report that she arrived home and her children were not at the residence. Laquanda Guillory was advised that she would have to speak with the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office Juvenile Detectives. When she was questioned, Laquanda Guillory stated that she had to go to the laundromat located within the city limits of Opelousas to clean laundry.
On May 11, 2022, Guillory was booked at the St. Landry Parish Jail and charged with 3 counts of Cruelty to Juveniles.
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