A mother is facing charges after police say they found her 2-year-old daughter sitting on a busy street corner alone in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania.
The woman who found the girl and called police said the toddler was filthy and eating gum off the ground.
Despite being alone, the woman said the girl was in good spirits.
"She's just a sweetheart. She's always smiling. I've never seen her unhappy," said a neighbor.
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The woman who found her said the girl didn't even cry.
The girl's mother, Mary McChesney, is charged with endangering the welfare of children.
After Pittsburgh's WPXI-TV aired this story at 6 p.m. Tuesday, McChesney spoke with anchor Lisa Sylvester. She said the whole incident is a tragic misunderstanding.
McChesney said she was getting ready for work, and there were two other adults in the house, but somehow her daughter opened the door.
The mother said she's eternally grateful for the woman who found her daughter.
"I don't know this lady, but she is a true blessing. She may have saved my daughter's life," McChesney said.
McChesney's former neighbor said McChesney is a good mom, and this was an accident.
Police said the girl was checked out by EMS workers, and she had some cuts.
