PHOENIX  —  A Mesa baby sitter has been arrested and accused by Mesa police of leaving two children home alone while she went out drinking.

The children's mother told police her boyfriend's sister, 18-year-old Synjan Mitchell, was baby-sitting her 5-month-old daughter and 21-month-old son Wednesday.

The mother told police she came home and found the front door of her apartment open.

The mother says she found loud music playing, beer cans scattered on the floor and her two children home alone.

A police report says Mitchell returned a few minutes later and the two women got into an argument and Mitchell slapped the mother of the children in the face.

Mitchell told police the mother attacked her. She also told police she left the apartment but had the children with her. Mitchell admitted to police she was drinking that night.

Mitchell was booked on child abuse and underage consumption of alcohol.