A Milton mother is facing charges after police said she left her 4-year-old son home alone.

Diana Garcia, 30, faces a reckless conduct charge.

Police said a crew painting the building where she lives in the Camden apartments on Summit Boulevard noticed Garcia's son, Juan, climbing on the balcony behind their first-floor apartment and notified management, who in turn called police.

"The story she gave us is that she left the child at home when she went to Target, which is a block away," Milton Police Capt. Shawn McCarty told Channel 2's Mike Petchenik. "But it seems like the child was there for quite some time."

An incident report obtained by Petchenik said Garcia told officers she'd gone out to buy shampoo.

Police said Garcia also had an outstanding warrant for contempt of court out of Forsyth County, so she was arrested and taken to the Fulton County Jail.

"Three, 4, 5 years old isn't appropriate, especially when they have access to get out of the apartment and do things that are dangerous or run out in the street," McCarty said.

Petchenik tracked down Garcia's boyfriend, Juan Montanez. He's the boy's father and has taken custody of him.

"She's a good mother," Montanez told Petchenik.

Montanez told Petchenik Garcia left the apartment while the boy was sleeping to "get a meal," and feels badly about what happened.

"She's not gonna lose nothing," Montanez said of the fact that Milton police contacted the state about the situation.

A Fulton County Jail representative said Garcia bonded out of jail Tuesday morning and will be notified in the mail of her next court date.

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