Baton Rouge woman arrested for allegedly abandoning two young children at a motel

PORT ALLEN - A woman was arrested on Tuesday after allegedly abandoning her two young children in a motel room, according to the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office.

Deputies responded to a local motel after two young children, a 4-year-old and an 11-month-old, were found alone inside a motel room, the sheriff's office said.

The investigation revealed that the children's mother, 32-year-old Sandrika Matthews of Baton Rouge, allegedly left the children alone at the motel three hours earlier, according to deputies.

Matthews was arrested after being found later that evening in Baker on multiple charges, including cruelty to juveniles and criminal abandonment.

Both children were transported to a local hospital for evaluation, and the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Service