Inset: Nikol L. Zenon (Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office). Background: The area in Louisiana where Zenon lived with her children (Google Maps).
In Louisiana, a 39-year-old mother is facing allegations of medical neglect after failing to bring her 6-year-old daughter, who underwent brain surgery late last year, back for necessary follow-up care amid “serious medical complications.”
Authorities detained LaShonda Nikol Zenon on Tuesday night, charging her with multiple offenses, including possession of Schedule I narcotics, fleeing from law enforcement, obstructing court orders, and having controlled substances around minors, according to official statements.
The investigation into Zenon commenced when a caseworker from the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) raised concerns regarding the potential medical neglect of the young girl, according to a news release by the Shreveport Police Department.
Doctors at the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Affiliate Clinic at Feist-Weiller reported the issue after the child had surgery in October 2025 to remove a craniopharyngioma, a type of brain mass.
Post-surgery, the child developed significant health issues such as hypopituitarism, diabetes insipidus, and adrenal insufficiency, all of which demand diligent medical monitoring and care.
Medical professionals informed authorities that since the procedure, Zenon missed seven scheduled appointments and canceled six others. Attempts by the clinic to reach Zenon reportedly went unanswered.
DCFS opened a medical-neglect investigation on Jan. 14 and later obtained a custody order for the child on Feb. 26, police said.
Detectives with the Shreveport Police Department made several attempts to locate the child at the family’s residence in the 9000 block of Royalton Drive but were unsuccessful.
On March 10, after a judge signed a court order allowing officers to enter the residence if necessary, police conducted surveillance at the home. Around 5:30 p.m., officers spotted Zenon outside placing items into a vehicle before returning inside the house.
“When officers moved in to make contact, Zenon ran back inside and refused to answer the door,” police wrote in the release. “Officers positioned around the residence then observed her flee out the back of the home with the children by climbing over a six-foot privacy fence. After a brief foot pursuit, Zenon was taken into custody.”
The children were safely recovered and turned over to DCFS workers at the scene. Police said the children were “crying, sweating, and visibly shaken,” with minor scrapes from climbing the fence.
Zenon later told investigators she had a “feeling” police were in the area after receiving a phone call from an unknown person and spotting officers down the street before attempting to flee with the children, according to a report from local CBS affiliate KSLA.
She allegedly acknowledged that the child had missed follow-up medical appointments after the brain surgery, telling investigators she had been busy and did not have time to take the child, the station reported.
Zenon was booked into the Caddo Parish Jail, where she is being held on $10,000 bond. It was not immediately clear when she was scheduled to appear in court.
