Mother arrested after leaving 2-year-old home alone, attacking worker who found child, police say

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Police have arrested a woman they say attacked an employee at her apartment complex after neighbors found her 2-year-old son wandering around alone.

Police said they got calls about a toddler who had been found wandering alone in a Morrow apartment complex on Southlake Parkway on May 17 around 4:30 p.m.

The caller said the toddler had been with them for over an hour.

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Police learned that the child’s mother, Francesca Nilsestuen, left her son at home while she went to get food with her boyfriend. While she was gone, the toddler left the home and was picked up by employees at the apartment complex.

Nilsestuen showed up at the complex and tried to take the child home, but employees didn’t feel comfortable releasing the toddler to her until police arrived.

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Police said Nilsestuen hit an office worker in the face. The worker ran into the office and locked the door. Nilsesteun then starting beating and kicking the door and then got a gun out of her car, police said.

The boyfriend disarmed her, but Nilsestuen then broke two windows, went into the office and damaged more property and took her son.

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Nileestuen was injured in the confrontation and taken to the hospital. She’s being charged with deprivation of a minor, cruelty to children, criminal damage, simple battery and reckless conduct.

The child has been placed in DFCS custody.

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