Mom Arrested for Child Abuse as Toddler Found Roaming The Villages Again

Latoya Ann Tye, a 40-year-old resident of Maricopa, was arrested on Friday after her 3-year-old child was discovered wandering alone in The Villages at El Dorado for the third time, according to local law enforcement.

She has been charged with felony child abuse and misdemeanor endangerment, as detailed in a probable cause statement presented to the Western Pinal Justice Court.

Maricopa police responded to a report made around noon on April 18, near the intersection of Marquez and Hoag Drives. A resident alerted authorities to a young child found alone. Officers recognized the boy, who was wearing only a shirt and a soiled diaper, lacking shoes or pants, from previous encounters.

Initial attempts to reach the child’s parents at their home on Askew Drive were unsuccessful. Officers knocked on the door and also attempted to contact Tye along with the child’s father and grandmother, but received no response.

About an hour later, officers finally made contact with Tye. She claimed to have been asleep and unaware that her child had left the house, stating it was her responsibility to supervise the child while her husband was at work.

This incident marks the first time Tye has been arrested concerning the child. She has faced other legal issues in the past, including a dismissed case last year related to yard maintenance and a recent arrest for fighting and assault, with those charges still pending.

Given the repeated nature of this incident, officers proceeded to arrest Tye and transported her to the Pinal County Adult Detention Facility. If convicted, she could face up to 10 years in prison.