Neighbors in Mableton, Georgia, discovered a 5-year-old boy screaming for help outside their apartment building late Sunday night after he woke up to find his mother gone. The boy told a neighbor he was alone and crying. Hailey Saunders, 23, faces charges of cruelty to a child and reckless conduct.
Neighbors at an apartment complex in Mableton, Georgia, heard a young boy screaming outside before midnight on Sunday. They rushed to help the 5-year-old, who was by himself and calling out. According to an arrest warrant, the child told one neighbor, 'he just woke up and his mommy was gone. He was by himself and he was crying.' The neighbors, who spoke to local ABC affiliate WSB but asked not to be identified, described the boy's cries as heart-wrenching, with one saying her 'heart was about to pop out.' They called 911, gave the boy water and chips, and waited about 40 minutes for first responders to arrive. Police responded to the scene, where the boy's father later showed up. Around 2 a.m., Hailey Saunders, 23, returned and was arrested on charges of cruelty to a child and reckless conduct. She remains in custody at Cobb County Jail without bond. The boy's father took custody of his son, WSB reported.