A North Texas mother faces neglect counts after police found her five children hungry, filthy and her 8-year-old son in charge of his siblings.
The Wichita Falls Times Record News reports teachers in Bowie reported the boy missed class several days.
Police went to the home and found him, girls ages 4 and 2, a 17-month-old boy and a 3-month-old boy.
Lt. Rick Beckham says there was no food at the home, scattered with garbage and human waste, when police arrived last Friday.
Jessica Petroni arrived when police were still at her residence.
The mother was being held Wednesday on five counts of abandoning/endangering a child-criminal negligence.
Records don't list an attorney for Petroni, whose bond was $50,000.
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Three children were treated for malnutrition. All five are in foster care.
