Nationwide — Calvinitri White, an African American mother of three children from Shreveport, Louisiana, spent six days in jail after police accused her of child neglect when they discovered roaches in her apartment. She had called 911 for help over another issue and is now fighting eviction from her home.
White contacted Shreveport police about a dispute involving a PlayStation, according to Atlanta Black Star. When officers arrived, they said they found “unsafe and unsanitary conditions” inside her unit. They said roaches were seen on furniture, in kitchen cabinets, and even inside the refrigerator. Her three young children, ages 4, 3, and 1, were home at the time.
Authorities arrested White on child neglect charges and took her to jail. But the Caddo Parish District Attorney’s Office later dismissed the case after confirming she had repeatedly asked her landlord, Village Square Apartments, to deal with the infestation. Records showed she filed three service requests earlier in the year, but was ignored.
District Attorney James E. Stewart Sr. said no weapons or drugs were found in the apartment, and the children were not harmed. He added that White was employed and had made multiple written complaints to management about the infestation.
White said the experience left her humiliated. She said she had done everything she could to maintain a home for her family.
“We had a shelter over our head,” she said. “It’s not what we wanted ideally, but it’s not as if I was just sitting there trying not to move or do anything. But the officer took advantage of the situation, joked about my situation, and I just feel like that’s very unfair. None of that treatment I deserved. I didn’t deserve it. My kids didn’t deserve it.”
Her attorney, Malik Shabazz, announced plans to sue the city, the police department, and the apartment complex, saying the arrest violated her rights. “Ms. Calvinitri White should never have been arrested,” he said.
After her release, White shared her story on Facebook, writing about her efforts to care for her children and to seek help from apartment management and city agencies. Her post received more than 1,000 reactions and hundreds of supportive comments from people who admitted they had misjudged her after hearing only the police version.
Days after her charges were dismissed, the apartment complex sent her an eviction notice saying they could not “except” her rent. White is now fighting the eviction in court while raising her three children and trying to rebuild her reputation.