A Tennesse mother was arrested for faking the death of her autistic son, leaving the 12-year-old alone in a hotel room for around two weeks, authorities said.
The child’s school authorities contacted the woman identified as Vanessa Blanchard, from Clarksville, on Oct. 29 to find out why the boy was absent for two days. Blanchard then told the officials from New Providence Middle School that her child had died two days back after having a seizure, the New York Post reported citing the arrest affidavit.
In response to the tragic news of the child’s death, the school officials raised money for the funeral expenses. However, when they contacted the funeral home to donate the funds, the school officials were told that no arrangements were made for the child. Blanchard then told them that she was awaiting the results of an autopsy at Terranova Hospital in Clarksville.
Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office officials suspected foul play and found out that the child’s laptop was being used from Vacation Motor Motel two weeks later. The officers who responded to the motel on Nov. 16 found the 12-year-old living alone in one of the rooms.
“It wasn’t through the laptop that he was located,” Sandra Brandon, spokeswoman for the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said. “It was strictly through the old-fashioned process of going out, interviewing people, and conducting an investigation that they were able to locate him at that hotel,” Brandon added, local news outlet Clarksville Now reported.
The boy told the officers that he had lived alone for two weeks in the room while his mother checked in on him daily or every other day. Blanchard has been charged with the false impression of death and contributing to the delinquency of a child after admitting to the officers that she had left the child alone.
The officials have said the child is now in a safe location but has not revealed the custody details.
Earlier this month, an Arizona couple was arrested on charges of child neglect for allegedly leaving their 11-year-old son alone at home for two weeks. When the officers found the child home alone, the boy told them he had not been to school for at least two weeks.
