Palm Beach Gardens mother charged with child neglect after leaving son, 6, home alone

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. - A 39-year-old mother was arrested on Saturday for child neglect after police found her 6-year-old son home alone.

This morning, Sherel Devon Edwards, of Palm Beach Gardens, is being held at the Palm Beach County Jail in lieu of $500 bond. She is charged with child neglect and driving while her license is suspended with knowledge.

According to the arrest report, Palm Beach Gardens police were dispatched to the 4000 block of Pinella Circle at 7:32 p.m. Saturday, where they found the 6-year-old boy crying in the courtyard of the apartment complex.

The boy told the responding officer that Edwards had left him home alone in order to go to work. The boy said his mother told him she'd be back "tomorrow," the report stated.

The officer noted there was no phone or cell phone inside the one-bedroom apartment for the child to use in case of an emergency.

Though the boy did not look "malnourished," the officer noted that the only way he could feed himself would be by making microwavable macaroni and cheese, which could result in him being "scolded by the hot liquid."

When Edwards returned home at 8:20 p.m., she told the officer that she planned on coming home after her 7 p.m. shift ended. She added that she's had a rough time the last couple of years, and has not had a job for about two years.

Edwards also told the officer that she started at her new job about three weeks ago.

The Florida Department of Children of Families has taken custody of the boy.