Fitness Vs Children's Safety: Mom Arrested After Leaving 18-Month-Old & 2-Year-Old For Zumba Class

This is one clear case of a fitness-conscious mom who failed to prioritize her children's safety over her own personal fitness satisfaction. This Texas mom left her 18-month-old and 2-year-old at home to attend a Zumba fitness class.

Prioritizing Zumba Class Over Children's Safety

The 33-year-old mother, Gisela Sanchez-Flores, was said to have brought the 18-month-old toddler she was babysitting with her to her Zumba class, according to Yahoo. While she may have been prudent enough to ensure the safety of another person's child, she failed to secure her two children who were sleeping when she left her home.

Sanchez-Flores told authorities that her two toddlers were sleeping when she left them. She added that she didn't want to be late for class, which was why she opted to leave them and head for her Zumba class half a mile away from her house.

Toddlers Woke Up And Wandered On The Street

Her callousness might have gone unnoticed if not for her children waking up while she was gone. After Sanchez-Flores left for her Zumba class, one of the toddlers woke up and went out of the house. A neighbor found the crying child near the dangerous street, apparently looking for his mom, ABC 13 said. Another child was found down the street.

It was a good thing that the neighbor who found and spotted the children immediately called the authorities. If the good neighbor was a bit late in retrieving the children, the worse might have happened to the two toddlers considering that they were already in the area where traffic was.

Abandoning A Child With Intent To Return

When Sanchez-Flores returned home at around 9:45 a.m., police were already waiting for her. They charged her with abandoning a child with intent to return. The crime carries a maximum penalty of two years.

According to the toddlers' father, Sanchez-Flores thought that it was would just be quick. He also said that it was an "accident but a very dangerous one."