Police: Mom Left 3 Children & Infant Home Alone To Go Out To Bar

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Child services officials have taken a local woman's children into protective custody and she is facing charges after police say she left them home alone so she could go out to a bar.

Police found the four children, ages 6, 4, 2 and a 1-month-old, alone and unsupervised in an apartment in a building on Hays Street in East Liberty.

According to investigators, the apartment was in disarray and the children did not know where their mother had gone.

Officers say the baby was in a crib crying, and they discovered that the children had lice and MRSA.

Authorities say they believe the mother, identified as 30-year-old Rosa Alvarado, was away for at least an hour.

Police say Alvarado showed up about 25 minutes later. According to investigators, she was "highly intoxicated," "reeking of alcohol," and carrying a 16-ounce can of beer.

She told officers she was stressed out and was drinking at a bar, investigators say.

Investigators say she told police officers, "I'm an alcoholic."

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Alvarado was arrested and CYS case workers took her children into their custody. They were treated later at Children's Hospital.

Neighbors KDKA the building Alvarado and her children were living in is operated by Sojourner House Moms, a non-profit agency that offers housing to mothers struggling with addiction.

KDKA contacted the agency, but due to privacy rules, they can't talk about their residents.

Alvarado is facing charges of public drunkenness, carrying an open container and four counts of endangering the welfare of children.

She has a preliminary hearing scheduled later this month.