VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — The mother of a 2-year-old child found dead in a Virginia Beach hotel room on Monday has been charged with felony child abuse.
38-year-old Leandra Andrade is being held without bond and is charged with child abuse neglect, serious injury.
She had a bond hearing scheduled for Thursday morning, but it was continued until August 11.
She was booked into the Virginia Beach Jail on Wednesday, the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office says, and had a court hearing Wednesday.
The little girl, family contacts confirmed was named Lanoix, was found dead around 3:30 a.m. Monday in a room at a hotel in the 3600 block of Atlantic Avenue, and police said a woman was also found suffering from a medical emergency and taken to the hospital.
No cause of death for the 2-year-old has been released at this time, but WAVY has reached out for more information in the case.
The child’s father was recently awarded sole legal custody, but each parent was given equal physical custody of the child. The father was aware that Andrade would have their daughter this past weekend.
Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police told WAVY that Andrade was last seen in D.C. on Friday. MPD contacted Virginia Beach police after a friend of Andrade said they saw concerning social media posts from her.
Social media posts were published on an account belonging to Andrade two days ago and WAVY’s investigative team reviewed the posts. One details ongoing troubles in Andrade’s marriage that began in February of 2019.
“Most importantly, I wish I left for my daughter, because she deserved the world,” the post says.
Another social media post features pictures of Andrade and her 2-year-old daughter at the beach.
The post says:
“We read about seashells and I let you listen to the sound of the ocean holding an oversize shell yo your ear. You were so intrigued. A genuine curiosity about the world. So I took you to the beach. You’d been before, but it was out first trip together. The mama-mini experience I always wanted but never had due to the pandemic. Your fearless soul jumped the waves and threw sand with your shovel. We buried our feet in the sand. Everyone complimented how charismatic you are. You are stunning, conversational and beautiful. You were so proud I was your mama. Every stranger you saw you pointed to me and said ‘mama.’ I love you so much. I’m so sorry, baby. You deserved the world.”
Leandra Andrade
Police said that there were no previous signs that Andrade would have harmed the child and an Amber Alert wasn’t issued because the child wasn’t reported missing and there were no immediate threats to the child.
10 On Your Side contacted Matt Andelman, an attorney for Fabio Andrade Jr., who provided this statement regarding his daughter’s death.
“My daughter Lanoix loved life and loved to make her friends and family smile. I am devastated that the opportunity for Lanoix to continue living a happy and loving life was senselessly taken from her.
I have been fighting tirelessly since March of this year for full physical and legal custody in order to provide my daughter the life she deserved. The court ruling last week awarding me temporary sole legal custody was one of several successful steps toward that goal. But that ruling did not affect the existing, court-ordered temporary shared physical custody schedule that put Lanoix with her mother last weekend.
The family and friends of Lanoix ask for privacy at this time so that we may mourn
Fabio Andrade Jr.
our beloved angel.”
WAVY is working to gather more information in the case. Check back for updates.