Texarkana Police officers arrested Hilda Xona Cojoc, 29, on Sunday, June 29th, for Abandoning/Endangering a Child after her two young sons were left unsupervised and their home caught fire.
At approximately 12:50 p.m. on Sunday, police and fire units responded to a blaze in the 1900 block of Walnut Street, where flames were seen shooting from the roof. Fortunately, a quick-thinking neighbor had already safely evacuated the two boys, ages 7 and 10, across the street.
Upon speaking with the children, officers learned that their mother had left them home alone around 8:00 a.m. that morning to go to work, meaning they had been by themselves for about five hours when the fire erupted.
Officers contacted Xona Cojoc by phone, and she promptly returned to the residence. Due to the significant danger the children were exposed to, she was arrested and booked into the Bi-State Jail. Her bond was later set at $150,000. The boys have since been placed in the care of Child Protective Services (CPS).
Authorities expressed profound gratitude that the incident did not result in a greater tragedy.
