Mother arrested, accused of leaving toddlers alone for hours in apartment

A 26-year-old Elyria woman was arrested after her children were left alone in her apartment for two hours.

Police responded at 8:19 p.m., March 4, to the 1800 block of Middle Avenue for a child that could be heard crying for an hour by neighbors, according to an Elyria police report.

After numerous knocks and attempts to get someone to open the door, officers knocked open the door of the apartment and found food and dirt all over the unit.

There also was an unbearable smell from old food, dirty laundry and other items in the apartment, the report said.

Officers made their way to the crying child and found a room in the northeast corner of the apartment that was tied shut with a shoelace wrapped around the door knob and a nail that was nailed to the adjacent wall, the report said.

Officers cut the shoelace, opened the door and found a 3-year-old and a 2-year-old in the room; one was crying and the other one was sleeping on a bed.

One of the children was sick and dehydrated, and LifeCare arrived to treat the child.

It was later learned the child had the flu and an ear infection.

Both children were taken to UH Elyria for further medical treatment, the report said.

Lorain County Children Services arrived at the apartment and told police the mother had a prior case with the agency but was given another opportunity with her children.

Children Services told police the prior case was for the same situation of the mother leaving the children in a tied room.

The mother, who arrived at the apartment at 9:47 p.m. after being at Walmart, was charged with two counts of endangering children, a first-degree misdemeanor, and transported to the Lorain County Jail.

Children Services then made arraignments to have the children taken to their grandmother when they are released from the hospital.