Dad accused of leaving toddlers unattended outside (Thibodaux, Louisiana)

The 2- and 3-year-old were found outside wandering alone. And when deputies tried to approach the house (after the occupant refused to answer the knocks of a woman passerby), dad RANDY ANDRE fled the house, and wasn't captured till evening. But he can 'splain! He had been using illegal drugs earlier in the day, and didn't want the police to know! Oh, okay. Glad you cleared that up, dude...

Meanwhile, the kids have been turned over to "the care of relatives." Not Mom. In fact, like most stories of this nature these days, there is no mention of a mom at all. Is this a single dad? If so, how the hell did this druggie fool get custody, and who gave it to him?

INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT.

http://www.wdsu.com/r/27241570/detail.html

Father Accused Of Leaving Toddlers Unattended
Woman Finds 2-Year-Old Sitting In Middle Of Road
POSTED: 2:04 pm CDT March 18, 2011

THIBODAUX, La. -- A Thibodaux man was arrested and charged with child desertion on Thursday after his two young children were found wandering alone outside his home.

LaFourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre said in a news release on Friday that a woman called 911 to report seeing the children alone. She said that one child, a 2-year-old, was sitting in the middle of the road, while the other child, a 3-year-old, was in a nearby yard.

The woman told deputies that the father, Randy Andre, 27, refused to come outside after she honked her horn and banged on the outside of the house. Deputies said Andre fled the home when they later attempted to speak to him, but was located shortly after 6 p.m. and taken into custody without incident.

Deputies said that Andre indicated he had evaded deputies because he had used illegal drugs earlier in the day.

Andre remains in the Lafourche Parish Detention Center in lieu of $5,000 bail as set by Judge Walter Lanier. The children were turned over to the care of relatives.