Springfield, MO- A Springfield, Missouri woman is facing multiple felony charges after authorities say she abandoned her three young children — including an infant and a set of twins — in an apartment alone for more than 24 hours.
Courtney Lynn Box, 29, has been charged with three counts of first-degree child endangerment and abuse or neglect of a child. She was arrested and placed under a $10,000 bond.
The incident came to light on January 10, when a neighbor called 911 after hearing banging sounds for nearly seven hours straight. Officers from the Springfield Police Department arrived and could hear the noise themselves — but could not see inside the unit. Firefighters used a ladder to peer through a window and spotted a small child repeatedly hitting his head against a wall at the top of a staircase.
Firefighters entered through an unlocked kitchen window and found all three children — the 1-year-old twins and a 3-month-old baby — alone in an apartment described as having little to no furniture. Their diapers were so heavily soiled that waste was leaking out on all sides. When changed, all three were found to have severe diaper rash. The boy who had been banging his head had a visible head injury and a swollen eye.
In the kitchen, officers discovered a small bag with a crystal-like residue resting on top of baby formula, along with a bong nearby. The children were given food and water, which they consumed extremely quickly — leading officers to believe they had not eaten in a significant amount of time. All three were transported to a nearby hospital.
When investigators finally reached Box, she claimed she had left the children with a babysitter while she was out shopping for her birthday. However, phone records obtained through a search warrant told a different story — Box had been actively using her phone the entire time her children were alone, and messages showed she had exchanged texts about drugs and accepting money for sexual services.
After learning her children had been taken into custody, Box searched the phrase “child endangerment” on her phone.
Box is scheduled to appear in court on July 29. The children remain in protective custody.