Shreveport Woman Arrested: Child Desertion, Including 5 Month Old

SHREVEPORT, LA

Shreveport Police officers were sent to a home on Virginia Avenue in Shreveport last Sunday, when a concerned family member expressed worry about a young mother and her five young children.  The family member told police that the young mother, Leanisha Broom couldn't be found and was not answering her phone.

The officers contacted detectives with the Shreveport Police Department's Youth Services Bureau, who began investigating as to what happened to the mother.  Detectives learned that Broom hadn't been at work for at least two days, and hadn't been at home with the children since Thursday, February 13th.

The five children range in age from 6 years old, 4, 3, a 1 year-old, and a 5 month old infant. The 6 year-old child told police that Broom dropped off a McDonald's breakfast biscuit the morning of the 13th, last Thursday, then left for work.

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Detectives then learned that Broom has done this before.  In fact, she has an active bench warrant from 2023 for three counts of Child Desertion, and another count from 2021.  Marshals were unable to execute the warrant arrest on the 13th because Broom didn't  return home that night to stay with the children.

What Happened to the Small Children?

Child Protection services was notified and released the children into the care of a family member until further investigation.  Broom was located on Monday, the 17th and arrested on her previous outstanding warrants, and now faces five additional charges of Child Desertion.

The Shreveport Police Department released a statement saying:

The Shreveport Police Department remains committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of children in our community.