A southeast Atlanta woman is facing child cruelty charges after police say she left two small children home alone for several hours early Wednesday.
Authorities said they found two children in the bedroom of a completely dark apartment with no power that reeked of animal waste.
"Apparently the security guard that works out there was doing his routine patrol. He discovered an open door. That security guard went inside to see if everything was OK, maybe it was accidentally left open. What he found inside was two children, a 6-year-old and 2-year-old, that had been left alone," said Sgt. Greg Lyon of the Atlanta Police Department.
Authorities have charged Shantonia Heard with child neglect. Police say they were in the unit for about an hour when Heard came back. She told them that she had stepped out to recharge a cellphone. They're still investigating how long she was gone.
"I just heard somebody hollering and screaming and I came out the door and looked and seen the cops arresting my neighbor downstairs," said Maria Little, who lives above the apartment.
Little said her thoughts are about Heard's two children and what is in their future.
"I'm just worried about the kids. It just hurts. Nobody wants their kids to go to DFACS," said Little.
Police said that the children are in the custody of Division of Family and Children's Services.
Wednesday, June 19 2013 11:19 PM EDT2013-06-20 03:19:10 GMT
A police officer, a deputy and a nurse are being called heroes for saving an elderly man's life.
A police officer, a deputy and a nurse are being called heroes for saving an elderly man's life. The man had a medical emergency and the three first-responders were in the right place at the right time.
Wednesday, June 19 2013 10:27 PM EDT2013-06-20 02:27:20 GMT
Georgia's right to life group is in a dispute with the national pro-lifers.
Georgia's right to life group is in a dispute with the national pro-lifers. The Georgia group has campaigned against a new far-reaching House bill on abortion because it says that the bill doesn't save enough lives.
