Coachman Family Center residents say case workers, security don't do their job at shelter

Since the news that a resident at the Coachman Family Center allegedly attempted to drown her child last week in White Plains, other residents of the shelter have come forward to News 12, saying cases like this have happened before.

News 12 Staff

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Dec 13, 2019, 1:35 AM

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Updated 1,960 days ago

Since the news that a resident at the Coachman Family Center allegedly attempted to drown her child last week in White Plains, other residents of the shelter have come forward to News 12, saying cases like this have happened before.

They are pointing the finger of blame at management and security.

La-Quanaya Ward, 29, was taken into police custody Wednesday morning and charged with attempted murder after police say she tried to drown her infant son in a bathtub.

MORE: Officials: Mother threatened to harm her young children at White Plains shelter

Police tell News 12 another resident intervened and rescued the child.

Westchester County Child Protective Services responded and placed the children in emergency foster care.

A number of residents tell News 12 their case workers and security don't do their job.

News 12 spoke to a woman who used to live there and didn't want to show her face on camera. She says her son and his father lived there for months and security was lacking, leaving children vulnerable.

"Me...who's getting my child on the weekends, knew that there was something that was going on with my child, but none of these trained workers saw what was going on," said the former resident.

She says on top of that the center is filthy and ridden with rodents and bugs, and that the food is expired and disgusting.

News 12 reached out to the Coachman Family Center to learn more about its security and overall protocol.