Austell Woman Arrested After Leaving Children Home Alone

At 8:13 a.m. on Wednesday, Cobb Police arrested and Austell woman and charged her with child deprivation and reckless conduct after she left her two children at home alone while she went to work. Mercedes Behena, 39, said she forgot to turn her stove off before she left the children, who were sleeping.

After receiving a 911 call about heavy smoke, members of the Cobb Fire Department arrived at Behena’s home at the Whisper Woods apartment complex at 665 Whisper Trail in Austell.

When the firefighters arrived, they heard crying inside. They were able to enter the home and rescue the two children, Office Mike Bowman stated in a release.

The children were transported to to be treated for smoke inhalation and were released into the custody of the Department of Family and Child Services.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call (770) 801-3470.