WAKE COUNTY, N.C. -- A Wake County mother was charged with leaving her two young children on a Cary, North Carolina road and speeding away, according to police and the arrest warrant. Jennifer Westfall, 38, is accused of dropping her nine-year-old and 19-month old off on the side of Reedy Creek Road on October 2.
The children are fine and in foster care.
Their mother told WTVD she just could not take being a single parent anymore.
"I know what I did was wrong, but I just, I was so tired of doing this by myself," she said. "I have the strength to do what I need to do, but I don't have the skills to make the income that I need to take care of my family, and nobody will hire me."
Westfall claims she did not drop her children off on the street to fend for themselves. She said she dropped her children off at Reedy Creek Elementary and saw another parent pick them up.
"I saw the lady walk and take my kids' hand so I knew they were in safe hands," she said.
She said she thought that was a legal way to abandon her children.
It is not.
In North Carolina, only days old infants can be left with another adult in order to be considered legal.
"With these charges I just don't see how I'm ever getting my kids back," Westfall said. "I feel terrible about what I did. I've always had my kids' back no matter what. I was just so tired. Absolutely tired."
Child Protective Services and Cary Police investigated and decided to charge the mother with two counts of misdemeanor child abuse.
Westfall was arrested at her Fuquay-Varina home and later released from jail. She is due back in court next month.
CNN Wire contributed to this report.
