Raven Yates, a 31-year-old mother, was taken into custody on Wednesday in Alabama after being accused of leaving her 12-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son alone at their home in the 2000 block of Maplewood Ridge Drive in Montgomery County. Yates had been evading authorities since December, and the U.S. Marshals had to break down the bedroom door of an older man’s apartment in Mobile, Alabama, to find her. According to Roman Forest Police Chief Stephen Carlisle, Yates is still undergoing processing in Alabama before law enforcement brings her back to Montgomery County to face charges.
Investigators stated that Yates allegedly threatened her daughter not to tell anyone that she left them alone, or else her father would take her and leave her brother behind. The 12-year-old girl would get food by telling her father that Yates was working, and he would order food sent to the house. Yates’ family members contacted the child’s father when they spotted her in Mobile, Alabama, and discovered that the children were not with her.
Police issued an arrest warrant for Yates on December 8, 2022, following an investigation. Detectives had been actively seeking Yates, and she had been making posts about the situation on social media, leading to tips and leads in the case. When authorities followed a tip to the apartment in Mobile, the manager confirmed Yates was staying there with a man. At 4:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday, the friend cooperated with entry into the apartment, and Yates was arrested.
According to Carlisle, Yates smiled and seemed unbothered by the charges against her during her arrest. “I don’t know if she was playing a part or whatever it is, but she, I think, was playing for the camera. She wanted to have a smile. She wanted to look good. The arresting officer reportedly said she asked about putting lipstick on before the photo was taken,” he said.
