A Glendale mother is out of jail and speaking out after she left her three young children alone on Saturday, creating a city-wide search for them. ABC15 has learned that she's also accused of using heroin.
“I’m not a drug addict. I’m a 25-year-old mother that’s made mistakes, and I’m finding my way," Shawntaye Beavers said.
Beavers’ three children, a boy and two girls, have since been found safe and are in the custody of the Department of Child Services.
Glendale police said Beavers knowingly put her kids in danger when she left them alone at their "dirty" apartment near 67th and Montebello avenues while she ran an errand.
“I hope they give my children back to my mom at least, [or] family members. I know I messed up, but children don’t need to be at blame and taken out of home and family for that," Beavers said.
Beavers said she left the apartment for a short time Saturday morning to use the phone. When she got back, her children, ages 2, 4 and 8, were gone.
“Their uncle came, didn’t leave a note or anything saying that he took them. I freaked out, I called the cops,” Beavers said.
The uncle later left the children with the boy’s grandmother, Beavers' mother.
Beavers’ mother, Debbie Lee Brown, said she’s been caring for the 8-year-old boy for about five years, and now she's learning he's been placed in foster care.
“There’s no reason he should be paying the price for an overnight visit," Brown said.
“The school is just distraught over it, his class is just distraught over it--they don’t understand," said Dennis Lamrouex, Beavers' stepdad, who says he is concerned his grandchild is missing class.
According to court documents, police found used syringes in the apartment, and Beavers told police she used heroin twice that day.
“I’m not commenting on that. I'm saying, that's not who I am," Beavers said in response to the allegation.
ABC15 looked in to her court records and found Beavers has been charged in the past with theft, assault, criminal damage and disorderly conduct.
Beavers has been charged, in this case, with three counts of felony child abuse. She's been ordered not to have any contact with her children.
Beavers is expected back in court on April 11.
