MERCEDES — Two young children left alone at home while their father went out for a tattoo remained in state custody late Monday, police said.

A neighbor spotted a 3-year-old boy wandering around the La Herencia Apartments just before 10 a.m. Monday, Mercedes Police Chief Olga Maldonado said.

As the neighbor stopped to talk to him, she heard crying coming from inside his apartment home, blocks from the Mid-Valley Golf Club.

Officers found a 1-year-old girl, barefoot and wearing soiled diapers inside. It appeared as if both children had been left alone for at least several hours, investigators said.

Police arrested their father, Samuel Garcia, of Mercedes, after he returned to the home a few minutes later.

Garcia later told investigators that he had only left the children for a short time while he went to discuss the new tattoo with a friend, Maldonado said.

The chief declined comment on the children’s physical health or the state of the home, referring all questions to Child Protective Services.

“We were friendly with (the children),” Maldonado said.

“We bought them breakfast and took them back to the station until CPS showed up.”

An agency spokesman, who said he could not release specific information about the case, said case workers typically look for extended family members willing to take custody of the children.

At Garcia’s arraignment on child abandonment charges Monday evening, Municipal Court Judge

Jesse Contreras chided the young father for his alleged irresponsibility and urged police to also arrest the children’s mother on child endangerment charges.

It wasn’t immediately clear if any charges were planned against the mother, but investigators were looking into the possibility.

“These kids are our future,” Contreras said. “Your kids could be senators, doctors, lawyers or teachers. You’ve got to snap out of this stupidity you’re going through.

With his hands cuffed behind him and his head hung low, Garcia responded “I know sir. I need help.”

He told the judge that he had previously been arrested for abusing his wife and was set to face human smuggling charges in federal court, but those charges could not be confirmed as of Wednesday evening.

Garcia remained in the Hidalgo County jail on a $200,000 bond.

If convicted, he could face up to two years in a state jail and a fine of up to $10,000.

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Jeremy Roebuck covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4437.