A MOTHER allowed a toddler to wander down the road by herself and was twice found to be living with children in filthy squalid conditions.

Officers became involved in the situation after the woman - now 35 - continually rejected visits from a health visitor and Essex County Council’s social services department.

They arrived at her home in the Harwich area and discovered clothes all over the floor, open bags of rubbish, used food containers, the sink full of dirty washing and dog mess on the floor.

Her children were temporarily taken away, and the woman arrested but not charged.They were eventually allowed back home, but two months later a neighbour found a toddler walking along the road and took her back home.

The mother responded by saying: ‘Has she got out again?’, the court heard.

Police arrived and found the house extremely dirty, the oven door open, sugar all over the floor and more dog mess.

Once again the children were taken away but returned within weeks only for another neighbour to find a young child wandering the streets wearing a dirty onesie.

Police arrested the woman who said she had been trying to do her best and was desperate not to lose her children.

They are not currently living with her.

She admitted three counts of child neglect at Chelmsford Crown Court and was due to be sentenced yesterday.

However, Judge Patricia Lynch QC adjourned the sentencing saying she needed to see evidence about claims the woman had previously been a victim of domestic violence and that she suffers from bipolar disorder in order to pass an appropriate sentence.

Addressing the woman, who The Gazette has kept anonymous to protect the identity of the children as they are subject to a court order, she said: “All sentencing options remain open.

“You should not think I take a dim view of this. I take a very serious view of it.

“If there are matters which are substantial mitigation then I should know about them.

“I really do need all of the information.”

Sentencing will now take place in August and the woman was given unconditional bail.