Douglasville mother charged after 6 children left alone, 1 dead

Six children left alone, one child dead

A horrific scene is emerging from a home on James D. Simpson Avenue, where Douglasville police say six children, all aged 10 or younger, were left completely unsupervised for more than 12 hours. The neglect turned fatal for one child, sparking a multi-agency death investigation.

DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. - A 37-year-old mother is in custody after Douglasville police discovered six children abandoned in a local home, including one child who was found dead.

What we know:

Douglasville police responded to a home on James D. Simpson Avenue where they found six children left entirely unsupervised. Investigators believe the children had been left alone for at least 12 hours.

The children range in age from 10 years old down to just 1-year-old. According to a 10-year-old at the home, the children had nothing to eat and resorted to eating roaches and ants due to a lack of food.

Police have arrested 37-year-old Sherry Diane Magby in connection with the case. She is currently charged with six counts of cruelty to children.

What we don't know:

Authorities have not yet released the cause of death for the child found at the scene. 

It is also unclear exactly where Magby was during the 12 hours the children were left alone or what her specific motive may have been.

While police confirmed the children were removed from the home, officials have not stated if they are currently in the custody of the Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) or staying with other relatives.

What they're saying:

Neighbors in the Douglasville community expressed shock and concern over the well-being of the children. 

One woman who lives nearby said she had previously considered calling for a welfare check.

"One time, I told my husband we might need to do a welfare check because he came home like 12 o'clock one night and the kids was outside playing. She wasn't there," the neighbor said.

The neighbor added that while it was common to see the children, it was "not unusual" to never see the mother. "I would see at least three of them get on the school bus," she noted.