Police said the mother left the child while she went to work.
A 5-year-old child was left unattended for hours at a Mansfield Township hotel while the mother went to work, police said.
Police at 1:40 p.m. July 10 were dispatched to the Quality Inn Hotel, 1925 Route 57, for a report of a child left unattended for more than two hours in one of the rooms.
An officer located and cared for the child while another officer found the mother working at a nearby store, police said. The mother, who police did not identify, had outstanding warrants out of Newark totaling $350.
She was arrested and released on her own recognizance after Newark police provided her with a new court date. The New Jersey Department of Child Protection and Permanency responded and took custody of the child pending an ongoing investigation.
Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.