A Houston mother is facing serious felony charges after she was allegedly found passed out and highly intoxicated on a cold, snowy sidewalk with her two young children, one of whom was just an infant. The incident, which unfolded during a rare and dangerous winter storm in Harris County, highlights the devastating consequences of parental intoxication on child welfare.
Authorities have identified the mother as 31-year-old Ayana McClinton. She was arrested and charged with two counts of felony child endangerment and injury to a child after deputies responded to a 911 call early on a Tuesday morning in January 2025.
The scene was discovered near Veterans Memorial Drive, where a concerned citizen called for help after spotting the woman and two small children lying on the freezing sidewalk outside a local business. When Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived, they found Ms. McClinton showing clear signs of intoxication. Near her, investigators reportedly found an open bottle of vodka.
The real tragedy of the scene, however, lay with the children. The deputies found a 2-month-old and a 1-year-old with their mother as the outside temperature hovered around a frigid 28 degrees Fahrenheit. Both babies were suffering from cold-related injuries, a grave risk in a region unaccustomed to such extreme weather. Paramedics quickly treated the two children at the scene before rushing them to a hospital for a full evaluation.
Legal Fallout and Children’s Safety
In court, a defense attorney for Ms. McClinton stated that the family’s vehicle had broken down in North Harris County, forcing them out into the cold while they were trying to reach a hotel. However, the Assistant District Attorney questioned why the mother was driving at all, especially considering the widely publicized warnings for the public to stay off the slick and icy roads during the storm.
Child endangerment in Texas is an extremely serious offense, often rising to the level of a felony depending on the specifics of the case and the level of injury to the child. The charges filed against Ms. McClinton reflect the potential for serious harm caused by the neglect, particularly given the subfreezing temperatures.
A judge set Ms. McClinton’s bond at $2,500 on each charge. Following the incident, the immediate priority became the welfare of the two vulnerable infants. A spokesperson for Family Protective Services confirmed that the children were released from the hospital safe and healthy. They have since been placed with a family member, which is standard procedure in cases where a parent is facing child endangerment charges.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office expressed empathy for the difficulties the mother may be facing, noting the priority remains ensuring the children receive proper care and are not placed in harm’s way again. This distressing case serves as a sober reminder of the dangers that intoxication and substance abuse pose to the safety of the most defenseless members of our community, especially when compounded by severe weather conditions.