BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — A Boynton Beach mother is under arrest for child neglect after police say her 4-year-old son was found wandering the streets alone outside, with no shirt or shoes, in the middle of the night.
Police said they responded to the 100 block of New Lake Dr. around 2:30 a.m. Friday after someone spotted a child walking alone outside.
Officers said the little boy, who was shirtless and had no shoes, took them to his home, where police found a 1-year-old child inside with no adult supervision.
During the course of the investigation, police said the children's mother, 27-year-old Doneashia Barfield, arrived at the home.
Barfield told police "she was walking in the area, as she had a lot on her mind," according to her arrest report.
Barfield was taken to the Boynton Beach Police Department, where she told police she's been going through a tough time "ever since one of her other children was killed along with his father in Riviera Beach in August in a drive by shooting," her arrest report stated.
Police said Barfield admitted to leaving her home for one hour "in an effort to clear her head."
Barfield said she locked the door, but admitted her 4-year-old son knows how to unlock doors.
According to police, Barfield said she had no intentions of harming her children, "just that she feels overwhelmed sometimes," the arrest report said.
Barfield was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail on a charge of child neglect. Her bond is $3,000.
