Two mothers from Arizona reportedly claimed to the police that they had left their children in a parking lot to use a restroom, but law enforcement officials have contradicted this statement, alleging that the women had actually been drinking at a bar instead.
According to a report from Law&Crime, officers from the Glendale Police Department were called to the scene around 11 p.m. on March 8 in response to a complaint about a young child wandering unattended. Witnesses mentioned that they tried to locate the child’s parents but were unable to find any responsible adults nearby.
The child eventually guided witnesses to a vehicle where three additional small children were seated, with two in car seats.
The police officers conducted a search in the vicinity, looking for the parents of the children. Approximately 45 minutes later, the two mothers returned to their vehicle, where law enforcement officials were present.
Police told the woman that her young daughter was spotted running in the parking lot and that the car with the other children was unlocked, AZ Family reports.
The second woman explained to police that she had been in the bathroom and then went to Caramel Cookie, referencing the Crumbl Cookies store.
The woman insisted she was gone for only 10 minutes, while police reported the two mothers were absent for at least 45 minutes. The second mother claimed they were only gone for 15 minutes.
”That’s a lie,” an officer replied. “We’ve been with these kids by themselves for over 45 minutes.”
Both women then allegedly acknowledged having at least one drink at the bar.
“Please don’t take my kids away from me. Like seriously, they’re the only things I’ve got. I know this is super, super bad,”one of the mothers said.
Police observed that both women, whose names were not released, “smelled like alcohol” and displayed “slurred speech.”
Both women were arrested and the fire department transported the children to a nearby hospital.
“We’re thankful to the good Samaritans who stepped in and did the right thing. It’s a strong reminder: leaving kids alone—especially while under the influence—is not only irresponsible, it’s illegal,” police said in a statement.
[Feature Photo via Glendale PD]
