Plymouth Woman Charged After Complaint Alleges Children Left Alone for Days in Unlivable Conditions
Published: April 11th 2026
PLYMOUTH MN: A woman has been charged in Hennepin County District Court after a criminal complaint alleges she left multiple children alone for several days without food or supervision in unsafe living conditions.
According to the criminal complaint, Johana Cherelle Kidd is charged with one count of neglect of a child—likely to substantially harm physical or emotional health—and one count of child endangerment, both gross misdemeanors under Minnesota law. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 364 days in jail and/or a $3,000 fine.
The complaint states that on April 9, 2026, officers with the Plymouth Police Department were dispatched to an apartment in Plymouth on a child welfare call after a 16-year-old reported that her mother had left her and her four younger siblings alone for three days without food.
Upon arrival, officers entered the apartment and observed what they described as severe and unsanitary conditions. According to the complaint, officers reported a strong odor of garbage, food waste, and dog feces throughout the residence. Garbage and food waste were allegedly scattered across the floors and counters.
One officer noted in the report that the conditions appeared “unlivable,” adding that in over 14 years of law enforcement experience, they were the worst living conditions for children they had encountered. Another officer reported observing multiple instances of animal feces inside the apartment and stated the odor was so overwhelming they had to step into the hallway several times.
The 16-year-old told officers the defendant had been gone for three days and had not provided food. She also reported attempting to contact her mother, who allegedly refused to return home.
A 13-year-old child told officers she frequently misses school to care for her younger siblings because the defendant is not home, according to the complaint. Authorities also noted that one of the children is a non-verbal 5-year-old with autism.
The complaint further alleges that officers previously responded to the same apartment on March 23, 2026, for a similar report involving the children being left without adult supervision. Officers documented unsafe and unclean conditions during that visit as well, which were allegedly not corrected by the time of the April incident. That prior case remains under investigation.
The case has been filed in Hennepin County District Court.
All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.