The mother has been charged with child endangerment and neglect.

Ramsey County Jail

A 26-year-old mother-of-three in Little Canada has been charged with child endangerment and neglect after allegedly leaving her children home alone without food or formula.

A criminal complaint filed in Ramsey County District Court charges Stormie Marie Gysbers of leaving her three children, ages 5, 2 and 6 months, home alone in her Little Canada apartment all day on March 1.

The complaint states that Gysbers' mother couldn't get in contact with her that day so her other daughter went to her apartment to check on her. She knocked on the door around 5:30 p.m. and the 5-year-old child opened the door.

The child said his mother left that morning and hadn't returned all day, noting that she's left them alone before and never leaves them food. The boy then complained that they were "very hungry" having not eaten all day.

The 2-year-old child was partially clothed and Gysbers' sister found the 6-month-old baby completely naked in its crib, which was covered in urine. The infant was so hungry that it drank four bottles of formula provided by Gysbers' sister.

Had there been formula available, the 5-year-old sibling said he didn't know how to feed his baby brother.

Neighbors informed investigators that the children often wander the halls of the apartment building, knocking on doors to ask for food.

Police documented that the apartment was littered with garbage and dog feces, determining that the apartment was "unfit for human habitation." They said it was impossible to walk without stepping on trash and feces, adding that three bare mattresses in the 5-year-old's room were covered in dog feces.

The stove was also left on simmering with a hot pan on it.

Gysbers' boyfriend showed up at the apartment while the sister was there but fled as soon as he found out she was calling 911, the complaint says.

He later told police that he takes care of the three children fairly often, noting that he's certain he's not the father of the 5 year old and "doubted" that he's the father of the 2 year old and 6 month old.

Police found Gysbers at her boyfriend's mother's house in Oakdale, where she was using a computer to see if there was a warrant out for her arrest.

She's been charged with felony child endangerment and a gross misdemeanor for child neglect.