A MOTHER has admitted two charges of child neglect after neighbours found one of her children playing outdoors while barely dressed and another young child locked inside the family home alone.
The woman, who cannot be named, pleaded guilty to two counts of child neglect at Swansea Magistrates' Court.
Prosecutor Laura Carthew said that at 3.30pm on December 15 a neighbour of the family saw one of the children playing outside in their Penlan garden.
The child was wearing just a pair of underpants and a T-shirt and the neighbour went to him and asked where his mother was.
He replied she had gone to Tesco and said his younger sibling was locked in the house.
The neighbours then heard the younger child screaming and decided to break a glass door panel to get into the house.
They found the child wearing a dirty nappy and chewing on a Christmas bauble.
"They took the children back to their property and found appropriate clothing," said Mrs Carthew.
When the mother arrived back, she said she had gone with another adult to Tesco, leaving the children alone in the property and thought the youngest would remain asleep while they were gone.
She said the oldest child must have let himself out of the property.
"She couldn't give an explanation as to why they didn't take the children," said Mrs Carthew.
Rachel Elimelech, representing the woman, said: "This is a case of short-term abandonment where the children were left for an hour. The defendant has no previous convictions, reprimands or warnings and made full admissions in interview."
She asked for a pre-sentence report to be prepared before the woman is sentenced by magistrates on February 26.