Ocala mother charged after kids found alone during fire, accused of giving them sleep aids

The Brief

OCALA, Fla. - An Ocala mother was arrested this week after firefighters discovered her three children alone inside an apartment while responding to a nearby fire, authorities said.

What we know:

Ocala Fire Rescue were called to an apartment on Wednesday morning at the Laurel Park apartment complex.

According to crews, a lithium-ion battery attached to an e-scooter ignited, leaving the apartment a charred mess. While officials were trying to evacuate the rest of the building, they found three small children home alone in a different apartment.

Monica Garza, 33, was arrested at the scene after crews had to force entry into her apartment to rescue her three sleeping children.

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According to records, Garza told investigators she left them ho