By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — A Salisbury woman was charged with child abuse after her neighbor reported she’d left a child unattended at her Long Street apartment. The incident occurred in late June and an arrest warrant was served Monday.

Sarah Katrina Larson, 28, was charged with the misdemeanor offenses and was released on a written promise to appear in court.

Salisbury Police said they went to Rowan Helping Ministries on Monday regarding a welfare check on a child believed to be 1 or 2 years old and spoke with a woman who said her neighbor’s child was left alone. The child was found in a play pen in a bedroom inside the unlocked apartment.

The child was crying when police arrived, but seemed unharmed. Rowan EMS checked the baby, said Police Capt. Melonie Thompson.

The mother soon arrived and told police the she left the child in care of a neighbor while she left to see about checking into the shelter. However, the neighbor told police the mother was seen walking down the street with an older child and when questioned about the baby, the mother said the child was not her responsibility.

The child’s father, who was working in Gastonia, was called to return home by the neighbor. He told police he didn’t know why the mother would have left the child alone.