A North Miami Beach mother faces four child neglect charges after authorities discovered her four minor children, including an infant and a toddler, left unattended in an apartment while she went on a three-day Bahamas cruise. Police arrested 29-year-old Nathalie Belizaire on Monday at PortMiami as she disembarked from the Carnival Conquest. They booked her into jail on four felony counts of child neglect without great bodily harm.
The alarming situation came to light on Saturday when Lether Bazile, the father of Belizaire’s two-month-old child, visited the residence. Bazile became concerned days earlier after seeing a WhatsApp status post on September 24 depicting what appeared to be a cruise ticket purchase for Carnival Cruise Line. Belizaire had previously assured him that she would leave the children-including a 2-month-old and a 2-year-old-with their great-grandmother while traveling.
Upon arriving at the apartment on September 26, Bazile noticed the television playing through the blinds and heard children’s voices inside. Realizing no adults were present, he immediately called 911. North Miami Beach police officers responded to the scene, entered the residence, and discovered the four siblings hiding together in a bathroom without supervision.
Judge Expresses Outrage During Bond Hearing
Belizaire appeared before Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer for a bond hearing on Tuesday. The judge expressed profound disbelief over the circumstances of the arrest.
“You cannot make this up,” Judge Glazer remarked in court. “It says she went on a cruise and left her children home alone… The baby was born in July of this year. Who leaves a baby alone like that?”
When Belizaire’s public defender argued that the accusations were unproven allegations and noted that his client denied the charges, Glazer pointedly replied, “They arrested her disembarking the cruise ship.”
Judge Glazer ultimately set Belizaire’s bond at $2,500 for each of the four counts, totaling $10,000, and ordered her to have no direct or indirect contact with the children. She was also barred from possessing firearms, weapons, or ammunition. Belizaire posted bond and was released from the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center late Tuesday night.
Investigation and Family Statements
According to the arrest affidavit, the children’s great-grandmother, Denise Wilkes, told investigators that Belizaire had mentioned bringing the kids over before heading out of town, but never actually dropped them off. Additionally, Belizaire’s brother, Steven Borgella, informed police that his sister had texted him on Saturday asking him to check on her children.
Carnival Cruise Line released a statement confirming that U.S. Customs and Border Protection escorted a guest off the Carnival Conquest upon its return to Miami. The cruise line emphasized that the intervention was an external law enforcement matter unrelated to ship operations.
The Florida Department of Children and Families has launched an independent investigation into the welfare of the children. Court records indicate that this incident is not Belizaire’s first brush with the law; she was previously arrested and charged with aggravated battery in January 2025 following an altercation with a neighbor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Nathalie Belizaire?
Nathalie Belizaire is a 29-year-old resident of North Miami Beach, Florida, who was arrested and charged with four counts of child neglect after allegedly leaving her children unattended.
What charges does Nathalie Belizaire face?
She faces four felony counts of child neglect without great bodily harm, representing each of the four minor children left alone in the apartment.
How were the children discovered?
The father of the youngest child, Lether Bazile, went to the apartment after seeing a WhatsApp post about a cruise ticket. Hearing children inside and seeing the TV on, he called 911, and responding officers found the kids hiding in a bathroom.
What was the duration of the cruise?
Belizaire went on a three-day, three-night Bahamas cruise aboard the Carnival Conquest, which departed on September 25 and returned to PortMiami on September 28.
What were the conditions of her release?
Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer set Belizaire’s total bond at $10,000 ($2,500 per count) and strictly ordered her to have no contact with the children or possess any weapons.
