A 20-year-old Mesa woman who police say left her 2- and 3-year-old sons alone for hours in the middle of the night has been charged with two felony counts of child abuse and a misdemeanor count of imperiling the life or health of a minor.
Related: Dad angry CPS didn't act before arrest | Police: Children resorted to eating dog food
A 20-year-old Mesa woman who police say left her 2- and 3-year-old sons alone for hours in the middle of the night has been charged with two felony counts of child abuse and a misdemeanor count of imperiling the life or health of a minor.
Samantha Abernathy is in jail in lieu of $2,700 bail and set for a court hearing on Wednesday.
Dad angry CPS didn't act before arrest
Police: Children resorted to eating dog food
According to Mesa police, a neighbor in an apartment complex at University Drive and Gilbert Road called police when the boys were found wandering around at 7:40 a.m. on June 14.
Abernathy told police she left the boys at 2 a.m. to go across town to visit her boyfriend.
Police found the apartment to be filthy and the boys hungry. One of the children reached for dog food as police were investigating.
Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas said he is grateful the children were rescued.
"The crime as alleged is heartbreaking," Thomas said.
