BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. – A South Florida mother was arrested after her 4-year-old son was found wandering alone early Friday, police said.
Doneashia Barfield faces a charge of child neglect without bodily injury.
According to a Boynton Beach police report, the boy was found shirtless and shoeless walking outside shortly before 12:30 a.m.
When officers took the boy home, they found a second child alone without any supervision.
While police were conducting their investigation, Barfield arrived, telling officers she "had a lot on her mind" and had gone for a walk.
According to the report, Barfield told detectives she's been going through a tough time ever since one of her other children was killed, along with his father, in an August drive-by shooting in Riviera Beach.
Barfield told police she left her home for about an hour, locking the door before she left, "in an effort to clear her head." Barfield explained that she didn't mean her children any harm but "feels overwhelmed sometimes."
Neither child was injured.