Police: Lynnwood mom used young son to burglarize homes
LYNNWOOD, Wash. -- A Lynnwood woman was arrested this week for allegedly using her 10-year-old child to burglarize homes.
Police say Marie Shafique and her son took part in a Tuesday burglary attempt in Lynnwood. The 33-year-old mother allegedly kept watch as the boy attempted to slither through a window.
What Shafique didn't know was that neighbors were watching and a security camera caught the whole thing on tape.
Michelle Geronimo was inside her house when the boy allegedly tried to break in.
"The screen was off, the window was wide open and he was peering inside," she said. "I was just shocked that it was a little boy, and when you figure out what's going on it's sad."
A woman named Mary lives across the street and said she saw the attempted burglary. Mary called out the mother and her boy while another neighbor's surveillance camera rolled.
"She got up and said, 'I wasn't doing anything,'" Mary said. "And then the little boy, he runs down and you could just see the panic. He's just scared."
Lynnwood police soon caught up with Shafique, and they say she was carrying crack cocaine and a stolen computer. She's now in jail facing burglary and identity theft charges. Her bail was set at $25,000.
Police say she had been living in a filthy motel room with her four young children and four dogs.
A hotel manager said Shafique told her she was staying at the hotel to get away from a bad relationship.
"She said, 'I don't have a lot of money, but I'm working for my kids,'" said manager Maria Santana.
Santana also said a nearby women's shelter even covered some of the hotel costs.
Shafique's four kids are now staying with their father.
Police say Marie Shafique and her son took part in a Tuesday burglary attempt in Lynnwood. The 33-year-old mother allegedly kept watch as the boy attempted to slither through a window.
What Shafique didn't know was that neighbors were watching and a security camera caught the whole thing on tape.
Michelle Geronimo was inside her house when the boy allegedly tried to break in.
"The screen was off, the window was wide open and he was peering inside," she said. "I was just shocked that it was a little boy, and when you figure out what's going on it's sad."
A woman named Mary lives across the street and said she saw the attempted burglary. Mary called out the mother and her boy while another neighbor's surveillance camera rolled.
"She got up and said, 'I wasn't doing anything,'" Mary said. "And then the little boy, he runs down and you could just see the panic. He's just scared."
Lynnwood police soon caught up with Shafique, and they say she was carrying crack cocaine and a stolen computer. She's now in jail facing burglary and identity theft charges. Her bail was set at $25,000.
Police say she had been living in a filthy motel room with her four young children and four dogs.
A hotel manager said Shafique told her she was staying at the hotel to get away from a bad relationship.
"She said, 'I don't have a lot of money, but I'm working for my kids,'" said manager Maria Santana.
Santana also said a nearby women's shelter even covered some of the hotel costs.
Shafique's four kids are now staying with their father.
Parent of the year nominee!
I really hope that the abusive relationship she was fleeing wasn't with the children's father. Chances are that if Shafique had custody of her 4 children while living in a dirty hotel room, smoking crack, steeling people's identities and belongings, people saw her as the most fit person to care after her children. It is likely that her circuit of friends or family are equally as messed up as her. I really hope that there is a positive intervention for these 4 children and that they grow up to be honorable smart children who learn from their mother's mistakes.Â
 @MizIMO I've seen custody being given to a mom even though she's a druggy and the father has zero criminal record, no arrests, no drugs and working full time. I know a fella who is fighting for custody of his baby and they keep giving the mom custody because she completes the required rehab and classes. Never mind the fact she's gone through these 4 times now because she never stops drinking or doing drugs.
Wa the boy Oliver? Perhaps the artful dodger? We seem to be going in reverse these days. Mom of the year. Crack it's just not for breakfast any more.
4 kids you think you would give up the crack pipe.
Before I even read the article, it was a foregone conclusion..........drugs! Dad where have you been for these children; haven't seen them in a long time? They were living in filth and your didn't know......not much of a Dad it would seem. Hope these children get a better chance in life. The boy is going to need help so he doesn't turn into a career thief. Very sad situation, indeed.
@mustang sally Without knowing the father or the situation, how can you accuse him of being "not much of a dad"? For all you know this woman has intentionally kept the kids away from him. Maybe he wanted to be part of their lives but didn't know where they were.
There are some who need their tubes tied and prevented from ever breeding. Completely unacceptable. The child should never live with her mom (in name only) again.Â
Â
AKA,.... Â Â Ma Barker.
Â
Â
@pbs7mm LOL, but true.
I hope that poor kid is in a much better place now and that that psyco for a mother doesn't get to have anything to do with him.
Sounds about right.Â
Women's shelter = your tax dollars to support a crackhead who steals stuff. Women use the excuse of "running from a bad relationship" to make bad decisions and then expect us, the tax payer, to support them in it because the all powerful excuse of "I was abused" absolves them of any responsibility. The truth is there are as many horrible women and mothers as there are horrible fathers and men. Of course you ask any of these people in the DV industry and "Oh no, that's not true, it's only men that are horrible people". Makes me sick.
@dg54321 Thumbs down to you, Missfitt said it very well. Not all women who walk through the doors of an abuse shelter are scammers. I have seen first hand the effects of abuse. Yes, there are scammers, but there are also a lot of women, and men, who are being abused.
 @dg54321 That's really a screwed up way of thinking.  There are women out there that have been abused and have run from a bad relationship.  Don't lump all women into that category because of one stupid b---- abused the system.  Why lump every woman that has escaped an abusive relationship with the few that have taken advantage of non-profit organizations that are supposed to be there to help?  And who is to say one woman's battle with DV is a valid claim while another woman who walks through those same doors is scamming the organization for free money, necessities, etc? Â
Makes on wonder....
Makes me sad for the kids who will grow up and have depression and other issues and will abuse drugs and whatnot - vicious cycle!!! Can parents not see how beautiful and amazing children are? Poor kids :-(.
Model parenting strikes again!!!  Got crack??? *facepalm* There is no cure.