A Warwick woman has appeared in court for leaving her six-year-old son at home while she went shopping.

A Warwick woman has appeared in court for leaving her six-year-old son at home while she went shopping. Kerri Burns-Taylor

A MOTHER of four has found herself before the courts after her six-year-old son was discovered wandering the streets in an upset state after she left him home alone.

The 29-year-old woman, who cannot be named, left the young boy alone in July because he was home sick from school and didn't want to go out with her.

The boy had been home sick for the two days leading up to the incident and had been battling a stomach bug.

The Warwick Magistrates Court last week heard the woman left the boy in bed while she went out for almost an hour.

After being alone for about half an hour, the boy was attempting to put the family cat outside and inadvertently locked himself out of the house.

Upset at being stuck outside, the young boy walked a couple of blocks before finding a stranger and telling him what had happened.

The man then called police, who were able to track down the mother on her way home from her shopping trip.

Lawyer Phillip Crook told the court the single mother had taken the boy out earlier in the day but because he was feeling unwell, he didn't want to go out again when she went to the chemist and the supermarket.

He said the woman was remorseful but had only left the house to buy medicine for her young daughter, who was in daycare at the time.

Magistrate Graham Lee reminded the woman it was a criminal offence to leave a child under 12 improperly attended and carries a maximum penalty of three years in jail.

The Warwick mother was placed on a good behaviour bond for 12 months.

DID YOU KNOW?

It is an offence to leave children under 12 unattended.

It carries a maximum penalty of three years jail.