RICHMOND, Texas – A Fort Bend County mother is facing felony charges after investigators say her child, who has a disability, was left home alone for days and eventually contacted law enforcement asking for food.
KPRC 2 has obtained court records, bond documents, and other filings that paint a clearer picture of what investigators say happened inside the home and what unfolded in the months after the mother’s arrest.
According to investigators, prosecutors are now pursuing two separate felony cases tied to two different incidents.
Child allegedly left alone for days
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office, investigators say the child had been left home alone for about two days before reaching out to law enforcement.
The affidavit states the child contacted the Sheriff’s Office asking for food.
Investigators wrote that if the child had not made that call, she may have gone undiscovered for even longer.
The affidavit describes the child as having a mental deficiency that may limit her awareness of her surroundings.
How deputies learned about the situation
While many details surrounding the initial response remain unclear, investigators say the child’s call for help led to the discovery of the situation.
Before investigators stopped discussing the case publicly because of the pending prosecution, Detective Stephen Leatherman told KPRC 2 the child had been surviving on birthday cake while she was alone inside the home.
Leatherman also told KPRC 2 the child was using a device with limited connectivity when trying to reach law enforcement, making it difficult for deputies to immediately determine her location.
According to Leatherman, deputies ultimately used patrol vehicles and emergency sirens to help the child identify where help was coming from as they worked to locate her.
KPRC 2 has requested additional records from the Sheriff’s Office, including body camera footage, dispatch records, and 911 audio, in an effort to better understand the initial response.
Investigators say mother was in Honduras
According to the affidavit, investigators believe Phillipi Angela Walker was out of the country in Honduras during one of the incidents.
The affidavit states Walker allegedly left the child alone at the residence while she traveled outside the United States.
Court records show investigators later obtained an arrest warrant in connection with the case.
Investigators say they found the child alone last year
According to court records, the investigation did not end after the first incident.
On Nov. 24, 2025, investigators say they were conducting surveillance at Walker’s home while attempting to execute an arrest warrant.
Records state Walker was stopped by deputies as she was leaving for work at the Houston VA Hospital.
While deputies were making that stop, detectives went to the residence.
According to the affidavit, detectives knocked on the door and found the child at the home again.
Investigators say the child told detectives her mother was at work.
The affidavit further states detectives had no prior knowledge Walker had regained custody of the child because there was already a CPS plan in place from a previous incident.
Records indicate the child was supposed to be staying with another family member.
Detectives also reported finding three large knives inside the home that were accessible to the child.
Two felony cases pending
The Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office previously confirmed to KPRC 2 that prosecutors are pursuing two separate indictments tied to two different offense dates.
Court records show Walker is charged with abandoning or endangering a child with intent to return, a state jail felony.
She was arrested on Nov. 24, 2025.
Bond records show prosecutors initially sought strict conditions after her arrest, including a prohibition on contact with the child.
Court records reveal battle over visitation
Newly obtained court records show the legal battle continued long after Walker’s arrest.
In December 2025, Walker’s attorney filed a motion asking a judge to modify bond conditions to allow supervised visitation with the child.
An agreed order signed in January 2026 granted that request, allowing Walker to have supervised visits under the direction of the Department of Family and Protective Services.
According to the order, those visits were required to take place under the supervision of a DFPS representative at a Rosenberg office.
Months later, Walker’s attorney returned to court and asked a judge to remove the supervised visitation requirement altogether.
Court records show that request was ultimately denied.
Questions remain
Several questions remain unanswered.
KPRC 2 is continuing to seek information from investigators and CPS regarding the child’s current placement, how deputies were ultimately able to locate the child, and what safeguards were in place before investigators say the child was found home alone a second time.
The criminal cases remain pending.