Fayetteville mother charged after 4 small children left home alone while she worked

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Fayetteville mother is facing four counts of child abuse charges for leaving her children at home while she was at work.

Reports show Venaysia Schaquetta Sinclair, 27, left her children ages 3, 5, 6 and 8 at home alone.

Fayetteville police told ABC11 that a resident called 911 after she observed the children walking down the street with no adult supervision.

"I started asking them questions like, 'where are your parents? Where are you supposed to be at?' They told me they were on their way to grandma's house," said Tawanda Robinson, who called 911. "They were carrying bookbags and dressed in coats. They were prepared and going somewhere."

The children told the witness their mother was working.

According to the report, the children were found walking half a mile from the home down Timberland drive toward Pritchett in the Hollywood Heights community. They told Robinson they were hungry.

"I actually had my dad go to the store and get them some chips," Robinson said. "It was good that I called because we don't know where they would have been if I didn't step in and do something."

Sinclair was released from jail. It is unclear whether or not the children were released back to her. DSS told ABC11 that information is confidential.