Community celebrates dropped neglect charges for Shreveport mom of three

SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Charges have been rejected by the District Attorney’s office for a Shreveport mother who was arrested on allegations of child neglect.

“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.”

Poetic words from Calvinitri White, the mother whose charges were recently dropped. Prior to the dismissal, White shared these words among many others in a lengthy Facebook post openly disagreeing with her recent arrest, which stemmed from police concerns about her living conditions.

“If I were truly neglecting my children, I would have chosen the streets — with no stove to cook on, no bed for them to sleep in. That would have been true neglect. But instead, I acted proactively, exhausted every option available to me, and did everything in my power to keep them safe and stable.”

Detailing nearly a decade of the mother working to improve her life circumstances, the heartfelt July 11 Facebook post erupted with shares and comments in support of White, accumulating over 700 shares and hundreds of supportive comments from community members.

One user stated, “…My heart goes out to you and your kids. Yall never truly know what people are going through or the weight they have to carry. It cost 0 dollars to be nice and give grace”, with many others in the Shreveport area and beyond sharing similar thoughts.

In early June 2025, a police call regarding a domestic argument over a PlayStation, resulted in the arrest of Calvinitri White, known online as Calii Stevenson.

According to a press release from the Shreveport Police Department, officers reported the home was infested with roaches and the children were removed.

“Due to the unlivable conditions, the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) was contacted and responded to the scene. DCFS determined the home to be unsafe, and the children were released into the custody of their father.”

An issue Calvinitri says she expressed to her apartment complex repeatedly, putting in requests to have the problem resolved.

She shared documents that she says were submitted to the complex maintenance department regarding the pest issue as early as January 2025.

“Hello, apartment [redacted] needs some type of pest control. Roaches are coming through the cracks in the ceiling and vents, self pest control is not working.”

She sends a follow-up email days later, “Hello, just following up on the maintenance request for apartment [redacted].”

Two months later, a similar request was put in for similar issues. Pest control, along with an air filter, and a bathroom leak.

Less than two months after this, she was in cuffs.

The high-trending post caught the eyes of many high-profile community members, church groups, representatives and activists. Just days later, the charges were dropped.

An issued statement from the District Attorney (DA) read, “Criminal charges against a Shreveport mother whose apartment was found to be unsanitary have been rejected, says Caddo Parish District Attorney James E. Stewart Sr.

“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,” he said. “No drugs or firearms were found inside the apartment, nor any injuries on the children,” he added.

State Representative Steven Jackson showed gratitude for DA James Stewart. “I want to thank District Attorney James Stewart for standing on the side of justice and refusing to criminalize poverty. His office made the correct decision by dismissing the unfounded charges against Ms. Calvinitri White.”

The DA’s office appeared to stand firm on their decision, a Facebook page for the DA’s office reshared a post from a community member celebrating the charges being dropped and thanking those who played a role in making it happen.

The post stated, “I want to extend my deepest thanks to Amealie Becky Sue Roberson, State Representative Steven Jackson, Councilwoman Ursula Stevenson- Bowman and the Caddo Parish District Attorney for seeing this situation for what it really was: a mother failed by a system and not a mother failing her children. This could’ve been ANY of us. It could’ve been your cousin, your sister, your friend, or you.”

The same Facebook user commented on the DA’s office page, “Thank you so much for hearing her side of the story and doing what is right.”

The office responded with a simple but compassionate response, “#FightingForJusticeEveryday”.