ST. LOUIS, June 24 (UPI) -- A Missouri mother of quintuplets allegedly left a 3-year-old brother to supervise four of toddlers while the mother took one child to the doctor.
Christine Moungowoolford, 30, of Warren County, is charged with five counts of endangering the welfare of a child, for leaving four 21-month-old toddlers and her 3-year-old son for one hour and 20 minutes when she took one quintuplet to the doctor, reported the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Friday.
A social worker making a home visit March 23 had contacted authorities and police said they found the children home alone playing with knives in the the kitchen and in the bathroom toilet.
Warren County Prosecutor Mike Wright said he took his time before deciding to file the charges because the babies had been born prematurely, have numerous health problems and the parents have been experiencing financial difficultly.
"We are concerned about the welfare of the children, obviously," Wright said. "Does she need maybe some help with a parenting plan, parenting skills, etc.? Those are some of the things we're going to look at."
