ST. LANDRY PARISH, La. — A mother is accused of multiple charges after calling in a fake kidnapping report on her child, police say.
On November 5, 2024, around 1:00 am, the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of a kidnapping of a young child near U.S. 190 and Industrial Road in Eunice. The mother, Artasia Quantaya Viges, reported that individuals in an older model truck had kidnapped her son as she was parked on the roadway attending to a deflated tire, according to a spokesperson for the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office.
Almost immediately upon arriving on the scene, deputies learned that the unattended child was found by citizens in the parking lot of Heinen Medical Clinic with abrasion injuries to his knees. The child stated to officers that his mother “ran him over” and left him on the side of the road. The child was transported to the nearby hospital for treatment, the spokesperson stated.
The St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office Juvenile Detectives were called in to investigate. An interview with Artasia Viges revealed there was no kidnapping, and the young child was left unattended along a major roadway and allowed to run off in the night, according to investigators.
As the mother pulled the car over, the child bailed out of the vehicle before it came to a stop, resulting in injuries to the child’s knees. The mother left the child out of the car, allowing him to run off in the dark along major roadways, the spokesperson stated. The mother admitted to detectives that she did not attempt to go after him and ultimately lost sight of him. These actions led to the arrest of Artasia Viges on charges of cruelty to juveniles, child desertion, false swearing for purpose of violating public health of safety. Bond is set at $2000,000.
Anyone with additional information about this crime can call the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office at 337-948-6516. You may also contact Crime Stoppers at 337-948-TIPS, download the P3 app on your mobile device, or simply dial **TIPS on your mobile phone to tip. All calls are anonymous, and you can earn a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest.
