Mother accused of abandoning child on highway and falsely reporting kidnapping
Artasia Quantaya Viges (Credit: St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office)
EUNICE, La. - A Louisiana mother has been charged for falsely reporting the kidnapping of her child when, in fact, she allegedly ran him over and abandoned him on a highway, according to authorities.
The St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office said on November 5, deputies responded to a call of a child being kidnapped in the area of U.S. 190 and Industrial Road in Eunice.
The mother, Artasia Quantaya Viges, told authorities that a group of individuals in an old model truck had taken her son while she was parked on the roadway due to a flat tire.
When deputies arrived, they were quickly notified that an unattended child had been found in a nearby parking lot of Heinen Medical Clinic with injuries to her knees.
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The child told officers that "his mother ‘ran him over’ and left him on the side of the road."
The child was treated at a nearby hospital.
Authorities said that mother later confessed that she falsely reported the kidnapping.
Investigators believe the mother had a "bizarre reaction" to the child having a tantrum. They said when the mother pulled the car over, the unrestrained child was able to get out of the car before it came to a stop, which resulted in the child's injuries to his knees.
The mother then chose to leave the child and allow him to run off in the dark, according to authorities. Authorities said the mother admitted that she did not attempt to go after the child and ultimately los sight of him.