Florida mom left her 4 kids home alone to go on a 3-day cruise, cops say

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A Florida mom left her four children home alone to go on a three-day cruise, according to a report.

​Nathalie Belizaire, 29, left the four minors - including a two-month-old baby and a two-year-old child - at her North Miami Beach apartment to travel to the Bahamas on the Carnival Conquest cruise ship on September 25.

North Miami Beach Police told NBC News that the children’s father saw what appeared to be a cruise ship ticket posted to Belizaire’s WhatsApp story a day before she was due to set sail. He says that he was told that the children’s great-grandmother would care for them while Belizaire was away.

​However, upon visiting Belizaire’s apartment on September 26, he said he saw that the TV at the address was switched on, according to an arrest report reviewed by People. He also stated he heard the children’s voices at the property, prompting him to call the police.

​Body-cam footage of the moment that police discovered the four minors hiding in a bathroom was released to WPLG Local 10. In the video, an officer can be heard counting the number of children that they found at the address.

​“Hi. What’s going on, guys? It’s just the two of you…three…four?” an officer says.

​Speaking later to the local outlet, North Miami Beach Chief of Police Juan Pinillos said: ​“Anyone who has children knows a two-month-old needs tons of attention.”

North Miami Beach Police told NBC News that officers spoke with the youngsters’ great-grandmother. She said that Belizaire told her that she would drop the children off at her address, only to never show up.

​The 29-year-old’s brother also said that Belizaire asked him to check on her children on September 26.

​Belizaire was eventually taken into custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on September 28 while returning from the three-day cruise, the affidavit viewed by People revealed.

Officials from the North Miami Police Department and Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office also responded to PortMiami ahead of the boat’s arrival on Monday.

​A spokesperson for Carnival Cruise Line said that the law enforcement effort was unrelated to its own operations.

​“U.S. Customs and Border Protection escorted a guest off Carnival Conquest upon the ship's arrival in Miami," a Carnival spokesperson told The Independent.

“This was a law enforcement matter unrelated to the cruise or the operation of the ship, and we refer questions regarding the case to the appropriate law enforcement authorities.”

During a bond hearing, Judge Mindy Glazer clashed with Belizaire’s attorney.

​“You cannot make this up. It says she went on a cruise and left her children home alone,” Judge Glazer said, also noting: “We’re just grateful that nothing worse happened to these kids.”

​“Judge Ms. Belizaire denies these allegations,” the 29-year-old’s attorney responded.

​“Of course she does,” Judge Glazer said. “The baby was born in July of this year. Who leaves a baby alone like that?”

​According to documents seen by NBC News, Belizaire has been charged with four counts of child neglect without great bodily harm, and her bond has been set for $10,000.

When asked by a WPLG Local 10 reporter if she left the children, Belizaire replied: “No.”

“Yes, it was their dad,” she added, asked if she had made arrangements for someone to watch the youngsters.

The Independent has contacted the North Miami Beach Police Department.