‘Very Unfair’: Black Woman Called 911 for Help, Only to be Arrested After Cop Spots Something In Her Home That She Begged Landlord for Months to Fix
A Black woman from Louisiana spent six days in jail on child neglect charges after Shreveport police officers discovered insects inside her apartment after she called them for help over another issue. But the charges were dismissed when Calvinitri White proved she had been trying for months to get the apartment management to address the roach issue – only to be ignored. Now the apartment complex, Village Square Apartments in Shreveport, is trying to evict the mother of three, sending her a note telling her they cannot “except” her rent. Calvinitri White was falsely arrested for child neglect after police said she lived in a roach-infested apartment with her three children but charges were dismissed after she proved she had been trying for months to get the landlord to address the issue. Here she is celebrating Easter with her children before her arrest (Photo: facebook.com/calii.stevenson.2025) But an attorney for the 26-year-old woman said he will file a lawsuit unless the police, city and apartment complex offer her a settlement. “We are pursuing legal action on her behalf against the city of Shreveport, against the Shreveport Police Department and against the individual officer in this action because Ms. Calvinitri White should never have been arrested,” said attorney Malik Shabazz during a press conference with KSLA News. “To make matters worse, the apartment complex had received many requests from Ms. White to address the pest control problem, and they failed to do that so we're holding the apartment complex accountable.” ‘Oh, You Got One of Them?’: Black Woman Turns the Tables on Indianapolis Man Who Tried to Corner Her White, who was in an eviction court hearing during the online press conference, is still reeling from the unlawful arrest, especially considering she had asked through writing on three separate occasions in January and April for the apartment complex to fix the roach issue. “We had a shelter over our head,” she said through tears. “It's not what we wanted ideally, but it's not as if I was just sitting there trying not to move or do anything.” “But the officer took advantage of the situation, joked about my situation, and I just feel like that's very unfair,” White continued. “None of that treatment I deserved. I didn't deserve it. My kids didn't deserve it.” Shreveport is the city that passed a law in 2007 forbidding sagging pants, which overwhelmingly targeted Black men. Shreveport police were also accused in a 2024 lawsuit of harassing, threatening and killing a Black man after he refused to become a confidential informant against his nephew. ‘I Should Not Have Been Wrongfully Jailed’ Shreveport police said in a press release that White was arrested on July 5. Officers had responded to a dispute over a Playstation, but when they arrived at her apartment they said they “observed unsafe and unsanitary conditions within the residence.” Inside the apartment, officers located three juvenile children – ages 4, 3, and 1 – living with their mother, identified as Calvinitri White. Officers and investigators reported the apartment was heavily infested with cockroaches. The investigation was observed on nearly every surface, including furniture, kitchen cabinets, and inside the refrigerator. Roaches were also seen coming through the holes in the walls, further comprising the health and safety of the environment. She remained jailed for six days before the Caddo Parish District Attorney’s Office dismissed the charges against her after learning of her attempts to remedy the situation, only to be ignored by the apartment complex. “We were provided proof that Ms. White, an employed single mother of three small children, submitted three requests for service in the year 2025 to her apartment management, regarding insect problems inside the apartment,” said Caddo Parish District Attorney James E. Stewart Sr. in a statement to local media. “No drugs or firearms were found inside the apartment, nor any injuries on the children.” White said she was humiliated by the arrest and the media attention she received over it. “Everything that has happened to me is through no fault of my own,” White said during the press conference. “And I feel that if I did the proper steps as a tenant to do what I was supposed to do and report everything that I was supposed to report, then I should not have been wrongfully jailed, I should not have been lied on by the officer and I should not have been put in the media.” ‘It’s Defamation of My Character’ After she was released from jail, White posted the following post on her Facebook page on July 11. To be accused of neglecting my children, when I’ve often neglected myself just to make sure all their needs and even their wishes are met, is not only insulting — it’s defamation of my character and does not reflect who I am as a mother. If you know me and my babies in real life, you know the truth: they are well-fed, joyful, and beautifully groomed. I believe in not looking like what you’re going through. No matter how hard things get, I make sure the world sees sunshine on our faces — never the storm behind it. Since the day my first child was born, I’ve never been away from them for more than 5–6 hours a day — and that’s only ever been for work. I don’t smoke, drink, or party. I’ve only ever been focused on building a better life. Six years ago, I earned my Property & Casualty Insurance license in all 50 states, then went on to obtain my Life & Health Insurance license. I currently work part-time while being a full-time mom, pursuing my Mortgage Loan Officer license, and managing the daily pressures of life. I might make it look easy — but it hasn’t been. With God, I stay strong. But the weight has broken me down in tears many times, trying desperately to change my circumstances with little to no support. I’ve cried out to management at my apartment complex, to housing assistance programs, to Love Shreveport-Bossier, Catholic Charities, Providence House, and even the City of Shreveport itself. I’ve attempted to move, only to have deposits taken and time wasted by landlords and complexes — all while trying to keep up with replacing stolen or lost items pots, pans, clothes, and dining supplies. That post received more than 1,000 reactions and more than 300 comments, mostly supporting her with at least one commenter admitting she had misjudged White after hearing only the police version of the story. “So I remember seeing this story and feeling like ‘some people don’t deserve kids’ so that’s really messed up how they truly depicted you!!!” wrote Meagan Harold. “That is DEFAMATION at its finest and you need to sue them!!” “I am so sorry for my original thoughts from the information they shared originally.” But then she received notice from the apartment complex that she is being evicted with no explanation, according to a photo of an envelope she posted on her Facebook page that states, “I can not except your rent.” She has been pleading her case before a judge to fight the eviction but it does not appear as if decision has yet been made. Atlanta Black Star reached out to attorney Shabazz for a copy of the body camera video of her arrest and will update this article when and if he responds with the video.
