Shelly Lynn Nixon, 31, was arrested Wednesday afternoon when Allen County officers learned her two children, a 13-year-old boy and 11-year-old girl, had been left home alone for more than 24 hours in Moran.
A call from the children’s grandparents, who live in Smith Center and had been called by the children, prompted officers to investigate.
“The children said their mother went to work in Iola Tuesday and didn’t return that night,” said Sheriff Tom Williams.
When officers arrived at the home at about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, they found the boy was ill and hadn’t gone to school that morning. The girl did.
“All the kids knew was that their mother was somewhere in Iola,” said Undersheriff Bryan Murphy. She and the children’s biological father, who also lives in Smith Center, are divorced, he said.
Nixon was located in Iola and arrested. The children were placed in a foster home in Chanute.
Information about the incident has been forwarded to Allen County Attorney Wade Bowie for consideration of charges.
