Police officers in Mijas arrested a woman, a Chinese national, on charges of abandonment after she left a three year old child alone at home while she went shopping.
Several neighbours had reported the sight of the young child, apparently alone, at the window of the apartment in calle Azucena in Las Lagunas and Guardia Civil officers went to investigate.
Upon arrival, the officers were let into the apartment by the sobbing child. When the mother returned, both she and the child were taken to the police station.
While the woman was being questioned, the police decided to call the husband to him to come and collect and look after the child. Entering his name in the computer, the police officers were surprised to discover an outstanding arrest warrant for ill-treatment and when he arrived at the station he was duly arrested.