SANTA ANA – A 30-year-old homeless woman was arrested early Sunday after dumping her children with strangers during a 4th of July block party, police said.

At about 11 p.m. Saturday night the woman and her two children – a 2-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy – were spotted at a home that was part of a block party in the 4300 block of West Silver.

The woman asked residents at the home if she could charge her cellphone. The residents told police they had seen her as an area homeless woman and agreed to let her charge her phone at an outdoor outlet.

The festivities continued, and about an hour later the residents at the home realized the woman had left her two children behind. They looked for the woman but couldn’t find her, so they took the children into their home, said Santa Ana Cmdr. Jeff Smith.

At 6 a.m., they called Santa Ana police to report that the children had not been picked up. Officers arrived at the home. A short while later, the woman reappeared.

She told police she had been at a nearby park sleeping and had asked the family at the residence to watch her children. The family told police that was untrue.

The woman, identified as Angela Johnson, was arrested on suspicion of child abandonment. The children were taken to Orangewood Children’s Home and put under protective custody.

Smith said officials will examine the children and their condition. Child Protective Services will determine if the woman is fit to provide for them.

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