A Fountain Hills resident called the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office on Sunday, May 31, to report a woman who appeared to be intoxicated in the street with two very small children.

According to MCSO Capt. Larry Kratzer, when deputies arrived they found one child barefoot and the other child with a heavily soiled diaper.

“The mother was known to deputies for prior contacts regarding the welfare of her children and the Department of Child Services was contacted for the previous incidents,” Kratzer said.

Deputies placed the children in an air conditioned environment and requested the fire department respond to check the children for heat-related concerns.

The mother was subsequently placed under arrest on charges of endangerment. While investigating the incident deputies discovered one of the young toddlers was holding a box that contained the mother’s drug paraphernalia, which led to additional criminal charges.

DCS was contacted again and the children were placed with their father. The mother was booked into jail on the criminal charges.