WACO, Texas — An Amber Alert for two children believed to be in "grave or immediate danger" was canceled Thursday after it was found their mother had forgotten them at day care, but the mother could still face charges.
Police said the mother took the girls, ages 3 and 4, to day care Wednesday before falling asleep through the afternoon into Thursday morning.
When she woke up, she realized her daughters were not home and told police they were taken by someone she knew. That person is no longer a suspect in the case but does have multiple unrelated warrants for his arrest.
Police issued an Amber Alert for the children before a day care worker called police and said they had taken the girls home for night when the mother didn't pick them up Wednesday, officials said.
"They called us and told us they had the kids and the reason they had the kids," Sgt. Patrick Swanton of the Waco Police Department said.
The incident led police to investigate the living conditions of the family's home. Police said they found the conditions "deplorable," and Texas Child Protective Services removed the children from the mother's custody.
Police said it was not clear how the mother forgot about the children or whether she was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
"The safety of those kids comes first and foremost in any of these types of investigations," Swanton said.
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