A 28-year-old San Benito mother was arrested last week after admitting to leaving her child unattended and at home.

Her 8-year-old child was found to be malnourished and physically neglected, according to the Cameron County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies with the sheriff’s office responded to a welfare concern at a residence in Petra road in the San Benito area on June 8 after an individual reported that an unknown child “went into their residence, opened the refrigerator and started eating their food,” according to a news release.

The child told the individual they were “hungry,” and the child was described as "skinny," "weak" and "malnourished."

Deputies interviewed the child’s mother — identified as Crystal Viera — who admitted to leaving the child unattended and home alone, the news release stated.

Child Protective Services were immediately contacted, and the child was removed from the home, the sheriff’s office added. 

“An investigation was launched by the CCSO Criminal Investigations Division, it was determined the child was malnourished, physically neglected,” the news release stated.

Vera remains in custody at the Cameron County jail on a charge of abandonment/endangerment of a child with imminent bodily injury.