CONWAY, SC (WBTW) – Police were led to the home of 35-year-old Angela Martin in June when her children were caught stealing food from Dollar General.
Conway Police arrested the mother Thursday night and charged her with unlawful neglect of a child.
The police report says officers were called to the Dollar General on Fourth Avenue on June 27 around 2 p.m. after receiving reports of shoplifting. On arrival, the officer made contact with the store manager who had two 13-year-old girls in custody who had tried to take items from Dollar General and leave.
“On inspection of the child’s backpack, they had taken several small food items and two drinks. When I spoke to the children, one suspect stated she had taken the items because she was hungry and there was nothing to eat at home,” the report states.
The second 13-year-old girl told police she was just there with the other girl, and did not take anything.
An officer made contact with a responsible party where the child was supposed to be staying and when he performed a welfare check on the child’s conditions he reported the home had no food, no power, no running water, and the house was infested with bugs. The officer also observed there was another child, an 8-year-old boy, at the home and the children’s mother was not there.
Dollar General was notified and the store declined to press charges. The kids were taken home from Dollar General and released to one of the child’s father.
Police documents say officers contacted DSS and on call code enforcement about the children’s living conditions in June. Code Enforcement deemed the house unsafe and and posted signs on the home denying future occupancy due to the “deplorable living conditions.”
The children were put in emergency protective custody because they were hungry and had bug bites all over their bodies in June.
Reports say the mother had no monetary means to take care of the children because she had been out of work for four months.
Martin’s bond was set at $15,000.
