PIKEVILLE, Ky. — A Pike County woman was arrested after police found her young children home alone, hours after she told a neighbor she was going to “go smoke.”

Pikeville Police were called to Northgate Apartments over what was described as a domestic dispute. But when they got to the apartment shortly after 9 p.m., they found only two children, ages 2 and 4.

A neighbor told officers the children’s mother, identified as Morgan Chapman, 23, had asked her to watch them while she stepped out around 5 p.m., but hadn’t returned. Police checked nearby apartments, but couldn’t find her.

A short time later, Chapman came home, saying she had only left the children alone for a few minutes, while she went to a neighbor’s house. The police report notes Chapman had a very strong odor of alcohol about her.

Chapman was arrested and charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a minor. That charge is a misdemeanor carrying a sentence of up to a year in jail.

The children were taken to the police department while the Division of Protection and Permanency was contacted.