Aberdeen Police said the girls appeared lethargic and were living in unsafe, unsanitary conditions when officers found them at a Harford County apartment — the second such case involving Kahliyah Gooding this year
A Maryland mother is facing child neglect charges after police found her daughters, aged three and five, home alone while she was at work. Officers from Aberdeen Police discovered the two girls at an apartment in the unit block of Northeast Road, in Harford County, at around 11.32am on Thursday, after receiving a report that morning of unattended children. Police said the pair were found in unsafe and unsanitary living conditions and appeared lethargic, and they were taken to hospital for further evaluation. Their mother, 23-year-old Kahliyah Gooding, was located at her workplace and placed under arrest.
Gooding allegedly told officers she had left the girls at home because she could not afford daycare. Investigators further allege she admitted she had been leaving the children alone while she worked, rather than it being a one-off occurrence.
Child Protective Services has taken custody of the two girls following the incident, according to Aberdeen Police.
The case is the second child-neglect investigation involving Gooding in 2026. Police confirmed she was arrested on similar charges on 6 May.
The investigation remains ongoing, and no additional charges beyond the child neglect offences have been announced at this stage. In the wake of the incident, Aberdeen Police issued a public reminder that leaving young children unattended can place them at significant risk and may result in criminal charges.
At the time of the latest updates, authorities had not released further details about the children’s medical condition, the outcome of their hospital evaluation, or any court appearance for Gooding.
