A three-night Carnival cruise ended with an unexpected encounter with police for a Florida mother after authorities discovered her four young children home alone while she was away.
Nathalie Belizaire, 29, was taken into custody when Carnival Conquest returned to PortMiami. She has denied the allegations and says arrangements had been made for her children to be cared for.
Four Children Found Alone While Mom Was on Cruise
Four young children were found home alone in a North Miami Beach apartment while their mother was away on a three-night Carnival cruise, according to police. The children, ages 2 months, 2, 7 and 9, were discovered on Saturday, September 26, after concerns were raised about who was looking after them.
Police and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to the apartment and forced their way inside to check on the children. Body-camera footage released after the incident shows officers entering the home, with some of the children found hiding in a bathroom.
Their mother, 29-year-old Nathalie Belizaire, wasn’t at the apartment. Police said she had boarded Carnival Conquest the previous day for a three-night cruise from Miami to the Bahamas.
Belizaire was taken into custody after the ship returned to PortMiami on Monday, September 28. She now faces four counts of child neglect without great bodily harm.
A judge later set her bond at $10,000 and ordered her to stay away from the children. Belizaire posted bond and was released Tuesday night.
Belizaire has denied the allegations, and the charges against her have not been proven in court.
A Social Media Post Raised Concerns
The situation came to light after the father of Belizaire’s 2-month-old daughter became concerned about who was caring for the children.
According to police, he had seen a post on Belizaire’s WhatsApp account indicating she was going on a Carnival cruise. He said Belizaire had previously asked if he could watch their infant daughter, but he told her he couldn’t.
The father said he understood that Belizaire would instead arrange for a family member to care for the children. However, when he later contacted the children’s great-grandmother, he learned they weren’t with her.
That prompted him to visit Belizaire’s apartment on Saturday. He didn’t have a key, but could see the children inside and became concerned that there didn’t appear to be an adult with them. He then called police.
North Miami Beach officers responded and forced their way into the apartment, where they found the four children.
Belizaire has since given a different account. After being released from jail, she told reporters that arrangements had been made for someone to care for the children and accused the father of her youngest child of setting her up.
The father denied that claim, telling Local 10 that he contacted police because he was concerned about his infant daughter.
Police Were Waiting When Carnival Conquest Returned
While police were investigating what had happened at the apartment, Belizaire was still away on Carnival Conquest.
The ship had departed PortMiami on Friday, September 25, for a three-night Bahamas cruise. After spending Saturday at sea, Carnival Conquest visited Celebration Key on Sunday before returning to Miami on Monday morning.
When the ship arrived back at PortMiami on September 28, authorities were waiting. Belizaire was taken into custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection before being handed over to the North Miami Beach Police Department.
Carnival Cruise Line has since stressed that the case was not connected to anything that happened onboard the ship.“This was a law enforcement matter unrelated to the cruise or the operation of the ship,” Carnival said in a statement to media.
There have been no reports suggesting the incident affected Carnival Conquest or its other passengers.
Judge Sets $10,000 Bond
Belizaire appeared before Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer on Tuesday, September 29, facing four counts of child neglect without great bodily harm.
During the hearing, Glazer expressed concern about the ages of the children and the circumstances described in the arrest report.
“You cannot make this up,” Glazer said during the hearing. She later added, “I’m just grateful nothing worse happened to these kids.”
The judge set Belizaire’s bond at $10,000 and ordered her to have no contact with the children while the case moves forward. Belizaire posted bond and was released Tuesday night.
Her attorney disputed the allegations during the hearing and said Belizaire denied leaving the children without supervision.
Belizaire later spoke briefly to reporters and maintained that arrangements had been made for the children. When asked whether she had left them alone, she answered, “No.”
She also claimed the father of her youngest child had been supposed to care for them, an account he has denied.
The children were reported to be safe and in foster care following the incident.
What Happens Next
Belizaire faces four counts of child neglect without great bodily harm, one for each child.
Under Florida law, child neglect without great bodily harm is a third-degree felony. Florida law allows penalties of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000 for a third-degree felony, although any sentence would depend on the outcome of the case.
For now, the case remains ongoing. Belizaire has been ordered to stay away from her children while the charges are pending, and her arraignment is scheduled for November 24.
She has denied the allegations, and no determination of guilt has been made.
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