Woman Charged After Toddler Found Wandering Street

January 3, 2013

An Escambia County woman was arrested early Thursday morning after leaving her three young children at home alone.

The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 600 block of Prichard Avenue in Ensley just after midnight after callers reported a small child running down the street wearing only a shirt and diaper.

Deputies were able to determine where the 2-year old lived, and they discovered two other children, ages 4 and 6, inside and unattended.

About an hour later, the mother of the children, identified as Amanda Lynette Wiggins, returned home. She told deputies that she had left home just prior to the babysitter, known to Wiggins only as Christie, arriving. Deputies were unable to verify Wiggins’ story.

Wiggins was charged with three counts of child neglect and jailed without bond.

The children were no injured. The Department of Children and Families was called and made arrangements for the children.

Comments

8 Responses to “Woman Charged After Toddler Found Wandering Street”

  1. LILLITH on January 10th, 2013 11:44 pm

    I am sad to say I know this person but not surprised by her actions. She stayed with me for a short while in 2011 and she was constantly leaving the 2 youngest in their playpens in dirty diapers and too busy looking for men on the internet! I had to say enough and had the father of the youngest come and get them. This is truly horrible because i know the father of her oldest child and he is not fit to raise her but that is where the state has placed her at. The second oldest will probably be sent to his dad in mississippi and the youngest (the one running down the road) will be placed with his dad who is by far the lesser of the two evils here. I am praying for all 3 of those babies they deserve so much better. Mandie I hope they never give your kids back to you cause they deserve a real mother!!! and you deserve to serve time for this!!!

  2. karen on January 5th, 2013 8:53 am

    Why would you leave before your babysitter gets there?? and how could you have a babysitter that you only know the 1st name?? I mean really people…GROW UP

  3. proudmom/grandma on January 5th, 2013 8:30 am

    Some women should be born with a natural/permanent birth control already in place…they should never have children, whether by choice or mistake. Makes me wonder why all of the loving mothers out there who can’t have children are punished and people like this mom have them and take them and thier safety for granted….

  4. Pappa on January 5th, 2013 7:48 am

    Woman leaves her kid(s) with a babysitter only to have babysitter disappear along with kids? Haven’t heard this story before #CaseyAnthony

  5. Wish Things were Different on January 4th, 2013 11:12 am

    My husband and I can not have children. I was looking into becoming a Foster Parent. State takes 6 mos. to say “Yes” or “No” to applications turned in and all the training/tests or completed. Sad :( I am no Pro, for sure, but it seems they could the process a little differently to help the children already in the system and those coming in day by day. I am glad they are this thorough, but still seems as things could be done as you are taking the classes/training. Leaves a lot of people out that have 9-5’s that have room in their hearts for neglected children and room in their homes.

    Sad, Children are born to people who have yet to raise themselves!

  6. disgusted on January 4th, 2013 8:35 am

    She sure sounds like a winner (heavy on the sarcasm). You’ve officially screwed up your kids–they’re the ones affected here.. Way to go Ms. Wiggins.

    Now these poor kids get to be stuck in our AWFUL foster system.

    or, equally worse…

    The State is pretty bad about just giving them back to the mom after she gets out.

    Lose/Lose.

  7. Dawn on January 4th, 2013 5:52 am

    WOW!!! Some people I swear!! Although this sounds just like a girl I knew who would leave her children home in bed asleep and go partying! Heck I think she still does even though there are some children at home that are old enough to take care of the smaller ones now, before they were all way too young!! And yes she was reported but they could never catch her! Just breaks my heart to see such child neglect!! I would never ever leave my children like that!!

  8. Sam on January 4th, 2013 4:34 am

    Just shows us that most people are capable of having children, but a lot of em can’t be parents.