Leila Aquino decided that making money in a strip club was more important than the safety her toddler. According to reports by News 12 in Brooklyn, New York, Aquino put her two-year-old toddler to sleep on the night of Feb. 22 and left the child home alone.
Aquino, 20, went to work at a strip club where she reportedly made $1,000 in $1 bills. However, she soon discovered that the money was not worth such a terrible mistake. When Aquino returned home, her apartment in Brooklyn had caught fire and she became distraught when seeing the blaze. She attempted to run into the apartment, but she was stopped by firefighters and police. She began yelling that her child was in the building.
Firefighters eventually told Aquino that her child, Kalenah Muldrow, had died in the fire. Attempting to hide from the fire, Kalenah went under her bed as the apartment went up in flames. Her lifeless body was found under the bed her mother put her in before leaving her home alone.
Initially, Aquino told authorities that she left the child with a baby sitter. But when authorities contacted the sitter, she revealed that she had not been hired to watch the child that evening. Once authorities took her to the police station, Aquino admitted to leaving the baby at home alone while she worked at the strip club.
Aquino’s mistake proves that she didn’t have the mental capacity or maturity for motherhood. Her actions were an example of greed and a lack of priorities. The money that she earned from a night at the strip club should have been more than enough to hire a babysitter for the evening. But she left her a toddler in a position where she was forced to care for herself.
Aquino was charged with reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child. However, she could also face manslaughter if the district attorney decides to add additional charges.
