HOUSTON — The mother of a little girl found alone at a Houston airport earlier this week is defending the family member who left her there.
The 8-year-old was in tears when airport employees found her Tuesday in Terminal A at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, one of the biggest and busiest airports in the country.
"Three airline employees noticed a child crying in Terminal A ... crying out for her parents," Houston Airport System communications director Augusto Bernal said.
Officials said Euceda Maldonado, 51, left her granddaughter and boarded a plane for Honduras. She was removed from the plane and charged with child abandonment with no intent to return.
After Maldonado's court hearing Thursday, the girl's mother took the blame and said it was all a misunderstanding.
Mabel Maldonado said she forgot the child's passport so she left her with the grandmother while she went to go get it. She didn't make it back to the airport in time so she told the grandmother to leave the girl at Subway and get on the plane. She said she was on the phone with the child the whole time.
Mabel returned to the airport and was eventually reunited with her daughter.