A woman from Bayonne, New Jersey, charged with DWI this week faces more trouble than just drunk driving charges. Police say that after the 41-year-old woman was arrested, she told officers that her 3-year-old daughter had been left at home by herself.

The incident began when the woman's Mitsubishi hit a Toyota that was turning onto Broadway from 11th Street. The driver fled the scene of the accident, but police found her sitting in her parked car a few blocks away on Seventh Street, near her residence. The police were able to determine it was the car involved in the accident because it had heavy damage to its front end and its airbags had been deployed.

While the drunk driving charges would be enough to worry about for the woman, Bayonne police officers then went to her apartment and found her 3-year-old daughter by herself in tears, according to reports. The girl was ultimately placed in a family member's custody.

The woman now faces several charges in addition to DWI and cruelty and neglect of a child. She also received four summonses: for careless driving, refusing to consent to a Breathalyzer, leaving the scene of an accident, and DWI within 1,000 feet of a school zone.

While the facts of the case are relatively one-sided, it is important to remember that anyone is entitled to a defense in court. There may be extenuating circumstances that might explain the woman's behavior. In any case, she or others facing similar charges would be well-served to be in contact with an experienced criminal defense attorney.

Source: The Jersey Journal, "Bayonne woman charged with drunken driving tells cops she left her daughter home alone: police," Kate Kowsh, Jan. 16, 2012