Woman guilty of leaving child alone in hotel gets 5 yrs. probation

LEE COUNTY, Fla.- A mother who pleaded guilty to leaving her child inside a hotel room alone, emaciated, and filthy is sentenced to five years probation.

Binish Evans has already spent a year in jail for the crime.

When she wasn’t standing in front of the judge, Evans spent most of her time in the courtroom Tuesday morning, drawing with her 3-year-old daughter Addisyn.

A stark difference from the woman who pleaded guilty to child neglect, after leaving her then 2-year-old daughter alone, in a filthy hotel room at the Candlewood Suites. Police say the toddler was malnourished and soaked in her own urine.

Evans’ husband, Bill, spoke on her behalf Tuesday.

“Learning the stuff I learned from her, as a mom in the beginning, is what helped me be a good father when she wasn’t there,” said Bill.

Binish has spent the last six months in a mental health facility, as part of her plea deal.

Before she was sentenced, Judge Frank Porter had some harsh words for her.

“I’m going to be candid with you. I think you are very manipulative, I think you are deceptive and I think you are a good actress, I think that,” said the judge.

But, he says Evans has made improvements, so he allowed her to have unsupervised visits from now on.

The judge allowed this, despite the state’s objections, and a report that said she used threatening language with her daughter, during a supervised visit.

“The child may not remember, but Ms. Evans should be reminded every day what she failed to do for that child. She should be a convicted felon,” said State Attorney prosecutor Tyler Lovejoy.

Evans is now considered a convicted felon. She has already spent one year in jail, and will not serve anymore time. Besides the five years of probation, she’ll receive treatment for mental illness.

The child is in the custody of her parents.