COPPERAS COVE, TX – In Copperas Cove, a 12-year-old boy returned home after school to discover that his mother and her boyfriend had moved out, leaving the residence entirely empty and him alone, according to local authorities.
Copperas Cove police responded on Friday after receiving a report about a child finding himself abandoned. The boy reportedly sought help from a nearby neighbor and revealed that his apartment had been cleared out. Officers who arrived on the scene found the boy without any family present and took statements about the situation.
According to details from an arrest affidavit, the boy recounted to officers that his mother and her boyfriend, Keven Dwayne Adams and Erica Renee Sanders, previously mentioned a pending move but provided no specifics about when it would occur or what plans were in place for him. The child’s confusion grew when his family appeared to have left abruptly, taking all their belongings.
Investigators made efforts to contact Adams and Sanders, eventually reaching both by phone. They each claimed that the boy’s uncle was scheduled to pick him up at the residence, but neither provided police with contact information for the uncle. When police later reached the uncle, he said he had no knowledge of any such arrangement regarding his nephew.
Officers said Adams expressed repeated frustrations about his girlfriend’s son during their conversation, but provided no further clarification on why the boy was left alone in the vacant home. Efforts by child protective services to obtain a current address from Adams and Sanders were unsuccessful, as both reportedly refused to provide any information about their whereabouts.
Neighbors told police this was not the first time the child had faced such treatment. One neighbor said Adams and Sanders had previously forced the boy out of the home, according to information collected during the investigation.
Adams and Sanders were subsequently arrested and charged with abandoning or endangering a child without intent to return, a serious charge under Texas law meant to protect minors from neglectful situations.
Police did not disclose additional details about the boy’s current living arrangements, but did confirm that he was safe following the incident. Authorities have not released information about whether Adams or Sanders remain in custody in Coryell County, and no attorney information was available at press time.
Law enforcement continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the abandonment, and child protective services are working to ensure the boy’s safety and well-being. The outcome of the case will depend on further inquiries and any developments in the legal proceedings against Adams and Sanders.