As a mother, your love for your children is unconditional and you would do anything to protect them and keep them safe. You also know how important it is to leave them in the care of people you trust.
However, one woman from Texas has been arrested after two children were found imprisoned in her back garden.
News reports say that neighbours heard children crying on Thursday night and the police arrived on the property to determine what the situation was.
According to NBC news, when the officers got there they found two toddlers, aged 2 and 3, tied up with a chain and a dog leash in the woman’s backyard.
Once the toddlers were freed, the police found six other children in the house, aged from ten months to 13 years old.
The woman who was arrested is the mother of the six children found in the house, but she wasn’t present when the discovery was made.
Upon returning home on Friday morning, she was arrested by police but claimed that the two children left outside were put there by their parents, and she reportedly denied restraining either child.
The parents of the toddlers are yet to be found.
The Sherrif’s office has described this as a “sick, disturbing, horrific crime” and the six children are in the care of Texas Child Protective Services, according to the agency.
The statement said that the two toddlers were in hospital being treated, one for a fractured wrist and arm, and the other for abrasions and scarring.
People have taken to Twitter this weekend to talk about the truly terrible crime.
Our thoughts are with the children at this time.