According to the Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Department, a woman was arrested after allegedly leaving her 5 and 3-year-old children alone at home while she went to work.
25-year-old Mariha Dunn, from Pontotoc County, Mississippi, was arrested on May 21, by the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) of the Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Department.
Dunn faces two counts of felony child abuse involving her children, a 5-year-old boy and a 3-year-old girl.
The crime was uncovered when a Deputy Sheriff visited Dunn’s home to serve a process.
When the deputy arrived a 5-year-old boy answered the door and informed the deputy that his mother was at work and that he and his sister were alone. The house, a manufactured home, was extremely hot inside due to a lack of electricity, creating a hazardous environment for the children.
The Deputy Sheriff immediately notified the CID, who called Child Protective Services (CPS).
CPS removed the children from the home and placed them with a family member.
Dunn was subsequently booked into the Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Department Adult Detention Center.
A Justice Court Judge has set her bond at $10,000 for the two counts of child abuse. The investigation is ongoing.