A 37-year-old woman in Georgia, Sherry Magby, is facing multiple charges after authorities alleged that six young children were left alone at home for several hours, an incident that resulted in the death of one child.
According to arrest warrants and state officials, Magby has been charged with six counts of second-degree cruelty to children. Investigators say five of the children, all under the age of eight, were left for about 12 hours in the care of a 10-year-old sibling.
Officials reported that the children were without adequate food and were living in poor conditions. The home was described as having a strong, foul odor and being in disarray throughout. Authorities also alleged that a one-year-old child resorted to eating insects due to a lack of sufficient food.
Magby’s exact relationship to the children has not yet been confirmed.
On Thursday, April 9, a spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Human Services confirmed that one of the children in the home had died, expressing condolences and stating that the agency would continue to cooperate with law enforcement during the investigation.
In a separate matter, Magby is also scheduled to stand trial next month on another child cruelty charge, where she is accused of injuring a child during an attempted escape.
