DEPUTIES: Mother facing child abuse charges after leaving several children alone in ‘unsafe and unsanitary' home

The above video is our WITN+ livestream and may not reflect the content in this story. BERTIE COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - Deputies say a mother is facing multiple child abuse charges after she left them alone in what court documents describe as filthy conditions. The Bertie County Sheriff's Office says Jocelyn Joyner, 31, of Aulander, was arrested and charged with 12 counts of misdemeanor child abuse and 6 counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Deputies went to the woman's Brick Mill Road home after learning there were six children at the home alone. Investigators say they were able to reach Joyner by phone and told her to come home, after which they inspected the home. Court documents say that the children were left in a home containing 'unsafe and unsanitary living conditions, including accumulated trash, insect infestation, nonfunctioning toilets, and inadequate food...' The children range in age from two months to 11 years old. Bertie County DSS came out to the home, and the children were turned over to family, deputies say. Joyner was given a $20,000 secured bond.