Justice Lee Moncibaiz (Taylor County Jail).
A Texas woman allegedly abandoned her 3-year-old at their apartment so she could go out drinking at bars with a friend, later telling cops she "needed a night out."
Justice Lee Moncibaiz stands accused of abandoning a child with intent to return, according to court records. A criminal complaint obtained by local ABC affiliate KTXS said Abilene police responded on Sept. 20 to an apartment complex on Hartford Street after neighbors found a 3-year-old child sitting alone at the bottom of a staircase with a soiled diaper.
Cops located the apartment the child came from and entered through an unlocked door. No one was there. Though alone, the child did not suffer any injuries. Officers found some mail that identified Moncibaiz as the person who lived in the apartment. They contacted her and she showed up around 40 minutes later, according to the complaint.
The defendant allegedly claimed she left the child with a relative but could not provide contact information. Other family members said they never heard of the person she identified while others said the relative in question hadn't been around for years, the complaint reportedly said.
In an interview with detectives a few days later, Moncibaiz allegedly confessed to leaving behind the child. She said she just "needed a night out" and went to a few bars with one of her friends. Cops did not say why they waited more than three months to arrest Moncibaiz.
She was arrested on Wednesday and taken to the Taylor County Jail where she posted a $5,000 bond the following day. It's unclear when she is next slated to appear in court.