Toddlers Left Alone At NW Austin Hotel While Mom Shoots Heroin

NORTH AUSTIN, TX — A woman was arrested after being charged with leaving her toddler twins unsupervised at a Northwest Austin hotel while she shot heroin, according to a newly released affidavit.

The incident occurred back in July, but the affidavit was only recently released. According to the Austin American-Statesman, Dena Praesel, 43, was charged with child endangerment.

According to the affidavit, police responded to an Extended Stay America economy hotel along the 12400 block of Research Boulevard July 6 amid reports the two-year-old twins were walking around the place unsupervised.

By the time officers arrived, the twins had been roaming around for about an hour with heavily soiled diapers. Police were unable to find the parents until one of the guests alerted them as to who they might be, according to the newspaper report.

Upon entering the hotel room, police found the woman unconscious on the bed, according to the affidavit. Police spotted a hypodermic syringe filled with brown liquid n the floor next to the children's toys, according to the report. The syringe was spotted only after Praesel tried to step on it in an attempt to obscure it once she left the bed, according to the affidavit.

Lab tests indicated the syringe was loaded with 0.4 grams of heroin.

The children were lucky police arrived when they did. As the newspaper noted, the hotel where the children were walking alone is located on the northbound frontage of North Highway 183, a heavily traveled roadway.

>>> Read the full story at Austin American-Statesman

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