Jonesboro Mother Responds to Child Endangerment Charge, Raises Thousands for Legal Defense

JONESBORO, Ark. — A Jonesboro woman charged earlier this month with felony endangering the welfare of a minor is publicly disputing police allegations, saying her child was not abandoned and was safe while she was at work.

Kursheena Regina Williams, 26, was arrested this week on a charge of first-degree endangering the welfare of a minor, a Class D felony, following an investigation by the Jonesboro Police Department. Police allege on Jan. 19, Williams left her 8-year-old daughter home alone for extended periods of time.

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In a statement posted to a GoFundMe page created to raise money for legal expenses, Williams said she had gone to work “doing what I’ve always done,” and said she ensured her daughter was cared for before leaving the residence.

Williams wrote that her daughter was fed, comfortable, and settled for the night before she left, with food available in the home if needed. She said her daughter had a phone and full access to FaceTime or text her at any time and knew she was “only a call away.”

“My daughter is eight years old. She’s smart, independent, and more mature than your typical eight year old,” Williams wrote, adding that a detective involved in the case described the child as “a very smart girl.”

Williams disputed the characterization that her daughter was left without supervision, stating her sister lives in the apartment building next door and could be at the residence within minutes. She also wrote that her boyfriend checked on the child throughout the night, describing those circumstances as a “safety net.”

“What people don’t understand is that she was never alone in the way they imagine,” Williams wrote.

Williams further denied any history of abuse or neglect, stating her daughter has no medical issues or special needs and was not harmed.

“There are no medical issues. No special needs that were being ignored. No history of abuse. No violence. No neglect,” she wrote. “My daughter was safe. She was not harmed. And she was never abandoned.”

Williams also alleged the report to police did not originate from a concerned neighbor, but from the child’s father, whom she accused of acting with ill intentions.

“The situation didn’t come from someone watching out for my child in good faith,” Williams wrote.

As of publication, more than $3,400 has been raised through the fundraiser, which Williams said would help cover legal fees and the process of regaining custody of her daughter.

According to the probable cause affidavit, officers were dispatched to the 3700 block of South Stadium Boulevard for a welfare concern and made contact with the child inside the residence. Police reported the child told officers she had been home alone for approximately four hours and said being left alone for extended periods was normal.

Williams was later released on a $2,500 temporary bond. A no-contact order was issued, though it allows for visitation rights involving the child. Her next court date is scheduled for March 20.

NEA Report attempted to reach Williams but was unable to by phone call. She did send a text message thanking us for sharing her fundraiser.

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Full Statement:

i’ve gotten a lot of messages about people wanting to support me so if you’d like to donate heres my gofund me.

This would help cover legal fees and the process of getting my daughter back.

i went to work that night doing what i’ve always done, making sure my child was cared for before i stepped out the door.

my daughter is eight years old. she’s smart, independent, and more mature than your typical eight year old (even the detective said shes a very smart girl). before i left, she was fed, comfortable, and settled in for the night. there was food in the house if she got hungry later. she had her phone with full access to facetime or text me at any moment. she knew i was only a call away.

what people don’t understand is that she was never alone in the way they imagine. my sister lives in the apartment building right next door, close enough to be there within minutes if my daughter needed anything at all. my boyfriend would also checked on her throughout the night. there was a safety net around her, even if i wasn’t physically in the same room.

there are no medical issues. no special needs that were being ignored. no history of abuse. no violence. no neglect. my daughter doesn’t get whoopings. she’s loved, protected, and if anything, she’s spoiled. she gets what she needs and more. her home is stable. her life is stable.

i didn’t leave recklessly. i didn’t leave without thinking. i left because i had to work, and i made sure every was straight before leaving. i made a decision rooted in responsibility, not carelessness.

what hurts the most is knowing how quickly people assume danger where there was none. how fast a story gets written about a mother without anyone asking her side. my daughter was safe. she was not harmed. and she was never abandoned.

and just as important to say, this wasn’t a neighbor who called the police. the situation didn’t come from someone watching out for my child in good faith. it came from her own father that did this with ill intentions.

i am a mother who works. a mother who plans. a mother who protects her child in the ways that matter most. and that night, my daughter was safe, every moment of it.

– GoFundMe

Arkansas Code of 1987 (2024)
Title 5 – CRIMINAL OFFENSES (§§ 5-1-101 — 5-79-101)
Subtitle 3 – OFFENSES INVOLVING FAMILIES, DEPENDENTS, ETC. (§§ 5-25-101 — 5-29-205)
Chapter 27 – OFFENSES AGAINST CHILDREN OR INCOMPETENTS (§§ 5-27-201 — 5-27-610)
Subchapter 2 – OFFENSES GENERALLY (§§ 5-27-201 — 5-27-233)
Section 5-27-205 – Endangering the welfare of a minor in the first degree

(a) A person commits the offense of endangering the welfare of a minor in the first degree if, being a parent, guardian, person legally charged with care or custody of a minor, or a person charged with supervision of a minor, he or she purposely:
(1) Engages in conduct creating a substantial risk of death or serious physical injury to a minor; or
(2) Deserts a minor less than ten (10) years old under circumstances creating a substantial risk of death or serious physical injury.
(b) Endangering the welfare of a minor in the first degree is a Class D felony.
(c)
(1) It is an affirmative defense to a prosecution under this section that a parent voluntarily delivered a child to and left the child with or in, or voluntarily arranged for another person to deliver a child to and leave the child with or in, a medical provider, law enforcement agency, fire department, or a newborn safety device as provided in § 9-34-201 et seq.
(2)
(A) Subdivision (c)(1) of this section does not create a defense to any prosecution arising from any conduct other than the act of delivering a child as described in subdivision (c)(1) of this section.
(B) Subdivision (c)(1) of this section specifically does not constitute a defense to any prosecution arising from an act of abuse or neglect committed before the delivery of a child to a medical provider, law enforcement agency, fire department, or a newborn safety device as provided in § 9-34-201 et seq.

– Source: Justia