The New Orleans Police Department has arrested the mother of a non-verbal 12-year-old boy who was found dead in a lagoon in New Orleans East. According to NOPD arrest records, Hilda Vasquez, mother of Bryan Vasquez, is facing charges of second-degree cruelty to a juvenile and negligent homicide.Hilda Vasquez appeared in Criminal District Court on Monday. She was scheduled for an arraignment. Vasquez took the stand and a judge allowed her hearing to be postponed so she can find an attorney.According to the NOPD, Vasquez neglected to check on Bryan for four hours before realizing he was missing and contacting police.Preliminary interviews conducted by NOPD, Vasquez started on Aug. 13 around 8 p.m., she gave Bryan an unknown brand of melatonin sleep aid.On Aug. 14, around 3 a.m. Vasquez said she was awakened by Bryan, who struggles to sleep at night, and he was taken back to his sister’s room and put back to sleep.Vasquez said she woke up around 7 a.m. to take her 6-year-old son to school, leaving Bryan and her 11-year-old daughter home alone without any adult supervision.According to the affidavit, she did not check on Bryan before leaving; she assumed he was still asleep due to the bedroom door being closed.When Vasquez arrived home at an unknown time, she did not check on Bryan and instead went into her bedroom.Around 10 a.m., Vasquez told Det. Bravo, she called for her 11-year-old daughter to run errands with her.At that time, her daughter informed her that Bryan was missing.Vasquez discovered the window was opened in the children’s bedroom and stated she didn’t take preventative measures to secure the window because Bryan never attempted to leave through it before.Vasquez told police Bryan had run away twice, two weeks before Aug. 13.The first incident happened on Aug. 1 at their previous home in the morning. Vasquez and her partner searched for Bryan before calling police and learning that Bryan was found by police.The second incident happened on Aug. 4, when Vasquez was asleep. A neighbor had found Bryan and returned him to the home. This incident wasn’t reported to police, according to NOPD.A search for Bryan was launched, and he was found on Aug. 26 in a lagoon near his home. He died from an alligator attack and drowning, according to the coroner’s office. NOPD said it received records from DCFS, which showed multiple reports filed against Vasquez from November 2013 through August 2025 for child physical abuse and lack of supervision.

NEW ORLEANS —

The New Orleans Police Department has arrested the mother of a non-verbal 12-year-old boy who was found dead in a lagoon in New Orleans East.

According to NOPD arrest records, Hilda Vasquez, mother of Bryan Vasquez, is facing charges of second-degree cruelty to a juvenile and negligent homicide.

Hilda Vasquez appeared in Criminal District Court on Monday. She was scheduled for an arraignment. Vasquez took the stand and a judge allowed her hearing to be postponed so she can find an attorney.

According to the NOPD, Vasquez neglected to check on Bryan for four hours before realizing he was missing and contacting police.

Preliminary interviews conducted by NOPD, Vasquez started on Aug. 13 around 8 p.m., she gave Bryan an unknown brand of melatonin sleep aid.

On Aug. 14, around 3 a.m. Vasquez said she was awakened by Bryan, who struggles to sleep at night, and he was taken back to his sister’s room and put back to sleep.

Vasquez said she woke up around 7 a.m. to take her 6-year-old son to school, leaving Bryan and her 11-year-old daughter home alone without any adult supervision.

According to the affidavit, she did not check on Bryan before leaving; she assumed he was still asleep due to the bedroom door being closed.

When Vasquez arrived home at an unknown time, she did not check on Bryan and instead went into her bedroom.

Around 10 a.m., Vasquez told Det. Bravo, she called for her 11-year-old daughter to run errands with her.

At that time, her daughter informed her that Bryan was missing.

Vasquez discovered the window was opened in the children’s bedroom and stated she didn’t take preventative measures to secure the window because Bryan never attempted to leave through it before.

Vasquez told police Bryan had run away twice, two weeks before Aug. 13.

The first incident happened on Aug. 1 at their previous home in the morning. Vasquez and her partner searched for Bryan before calling police and learning that Bryan was found by police.

The second incident happened on Aug. 4, when Vasquez was asleep. A neighbor had found Bryan and returned him to the home. This incident wasn’t reported to police, according to NOPD.

A search for Bryan was launched, and he was found on Aug. 26 in a lagoon near his home. He died from an alligator attack and drowning, according to the coroner’s office.

NOPD said it received records from DCFS, which showed multiple reports filed against Vasquez from November 2013 through August 2025 for child physical abuse and lack of supervision.