Woman charged after children found in road appears in court

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Seanna Beaty told the judge she needed her $15,000 bond lowered. Beaty was arrested after police found her three children -- ages 1, 3, and 7 -- wandering on busy Edgewood Road on Friday night.

They were almost hit by cars.

"So I can get out, so I can get out and fight for my kids," Beaty said.

Police said she placed the children in danger when she left them with her elderly grandparents at the Gastonia home where they all lived.

Social workers had already determined the elderly couple could not care for the children because of their disabilities.

"My brother was supposed to baby-sit and somehow my grandparents ended up with them," Beaty said.

Her grandparents called 911 desperate for help controlling the three children who got out of the house.

"I need help really fast.  I got three little children out there running around in the yard," said the caller on the 911 call. "They going to get out on Edgewood and get killed. Please get them out here fast."

The responding officer said he found them wandering in the middle of Edgewood Road.

Beaty's arrest warrant said the children had also not been fed.

Channel 9 spoke to one neighbor who is also the mother of a young child.  She didn't want to go on camera, but she said she often saw Beaty's children playing outside, but their mother was always with them.

Police said Beaty was impaired, but not driving when they found her.  
  
They would not tell us where she was at the time.

The judge did not lower her bond Monday. Her grandparents did not want to discuss the case.

WSOC