On Monday, at approximately 6pm, Turlock Fire Department responded to a call from a smoke-filled apartment at 155 E. Minnesota Avenue. The apartment manager, who made his way into the apartment, found two children, one four year old and one 18 month old, but no parent.
The mother, 29 year-old Jessica Segovia, left the four-year-old and 18 month old home alone.
“It was determined that the mother had left the children unattended for an extended period of time,” stated Turlock Police Department Officer Mayra Lewis. “While she was gone, the 4 year old tried to cook something in the microwave and the food burned.”
The burning food, a corn dog, caused the entire apartment to fill with smoke.
Turlock Police Department received a call of a suspicious incident, in which the reporting party told dispatch that two kids had been left unattended and the apartment was filled with smoke.
Turlock Police Department responded, and the mother was arrested on suspicion of felony child neglect when she returned to the apartment.
The two children were taken into protective custody and released to Child Protective Services.
“We were unable to determine where Segovia was during the time the children were left alone,” stated Lewis.
Although neither children were physically injured, the smoke-filled apartment was an indicator to investigators that the children were not old enough or capable enough to be left at home alone, thus resulting in Segovia’s arrest for child neglect.
Should parents have questions regarding whether their children are capable to be left at home alone, Child Protective Services can be reached at (800) 558-3665, where information will be provided to help parents assess their child’s capability to be left unattended.
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