Topline: Police say a witness called 911 after Edmonds left her child alone at a laundromat while earlier attempts at a cemetery and farm had failed.
Published: March 9, 2026 8:19 am ET
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Jeanette Edmonds (via Ponchatoula Police Department)
PONCHATOULA, LA — A practicing psychologist was arrested Sunday after allegedly abandoning her 8-year-old child at a local laundromat following two failed attempts earlier that day.
Officers responded at 2:07 p.m. after a witness called 911 to report that Jeanette Edmonds, 43, of Tickfaw, drove away from the laundromat, leaving the child alone, the Ponchatoula Police Department said in a Facebook post.
WBRZ reported that the child was taken safely into the care of a family member from the Ponchatoula Police Department.
During the investigation, detectives learned that Edmonds had previously tried to abandon her son twice earlier that same day. The first attempt occurred at a local cemetery, and the second took place at a nearby farm, according to the Ponchatoula Police Department.
Police said Edmonds was quickly located in Harvey with the help of multiple agencies and taken into custody by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. She was transported back to the Ponchatoula Police Department and booked on charges of cruelty to juveniles, child desertion, and criminal abandonment. WBRZ confirmed that she was later booked into the Tangipahoa Parish Jail.
Ponchatoula Police Chief Bry Layrisson told WBRZ that Edmonds is a licensed psychologist who has worked in mental health care for 25 years. According to a Psychology Today profile cited by WBRZ, she has been a licensed psychologist for the last 10 years, serving patients across all age groups.
Authorities said the case remains under investigation, but emphasized that the child was unharmed and reunited with family following the incident, according to the Ponchatoula Police Department.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Police say a witness called 911 after Edmonds left her child alone at a laundromat while earlier attempts at a cemetery and farm had failed.
By Jacob Charles
Published: March 9, 2026 8:19 am ET
Jeanette Edmonds (via Ponchatoula Police Department)
PONCHATOULA, LA — A practicing psychologist was arrested Sunday after allegedly abandoning her 8-year-old child at a local laundromat following two failed attempts earlier that day.
Officers responded at 2:07 p.m. after a witness called 911 to report that Jeanette Edmonds, 43, of Tickfaw, drove away from the laundromat, leaving the child alone, the Ponchatoula Police Department said in a Facebook post.
WBRZ reported that the child was taken safely into the care of a family member from the Ponchatoula Police Department.
During the investigation, detectives learned that Edmonds had previously tried to abandon her son twice earlier that same day. The first attempt occurred at a local cemetery, and the second took place at a nearby farm, according to the Ponchatoula Police Department.
Police said Edmonds was quickly located in Harvey with the help of multiple agencies and taken into custody by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. She was transported back to the Ponchatoula Police Department and booked on charges of cruelty to juveniles, child desertion, and criminal abandonment. WBRZ confirmed that she was later booked into the Tangipahoa Parish Jail.
Ponchatoula Police Chief Bry Layrisson told WBRZ that Edmonds is a licensed psychologist who has worked in mental health care for 25 years. According to a Psychology Today profile cited by WBRZ, she has been a licensed psychologist for the last 10 years, serving patients across all age groups.
Authorities said the case remains under investigation, but emphasized that the child was unharmed and reunited with family following the incident, according to the Ponchatoula Police Department.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Psychologist Arrested After Trying to Abandon 8-Year-Old at Cemetery, Farm, and Laundromat
Police say a witness called 911 after Edmonds left her child alone at a laundromat while earlier attempts at a cemetery and farm had failed.
By Jacob Charles
Published: March 9, 2026 8:19 am ET
Jeanette Edmonds (via Ponchatoula Police Department)
PONCHATOULA, LA — A practicing psychologist was arrested Sunday after allegedly abandoning her 8-year-old child at a local laundromat following two failed attempts earlier that day.
Officers responded at 2:07 p.m. after a witness called 911 to report that Jeanette Edmonds, 43, of Tickfaw, drove away from the laundromat, leaving the child alone, the Ponchatoula Police Department said in a Facebook post.
WBRZ reported that the child was taken safely into the care of a family member from the Ponchatoula Police Department.
During the investigation, detectives learned that Edmonds had previously tried to abandon her son twice earlier that same day. The first attempt occurred at a local cemetery, and the second took place at a nearby farm, according to the Ponchatoula Police Department.
Police said Edmonds was quickly located in Harvey with the help of multiple agencies and taken into custody by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. She was transported back to the Ponchatoula Police Department and booked on charges of cruelty to juveniles, child desertion, and criminal abandonment. WBRZ confirmed that she was later booked into the Tangipahoa Parish Jail.
Ponchatoula Police Chief Bry Layrisson told WBRZ that Edmonds is a licensed psychologist who has worked in mental health care for 25 years. According to a Psychology Today profile cited by WBRZ, she has been a licensed psychologist for the last 10 years, serving patients across all age groups.
Authorities said the case remains under investigation, but emphasized that the child was unharmed and reunited with family following the incident, according to the Ponchatoula Police Department.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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