NEWMARKET - A 29-year-old mother is under arrest, accused of endangering her children by locking them out of their apartment in temperatures hovering around 10 degrees for more than an hour, police said.

Nicole Fahey, 29, of 33 Elm St., Apt. 3, was arrested on a warrant charging her with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of possessing heroin.

The incident happened on Jan. 18 after the children, ages 6 and 10, returned home from school.

Police Chief Kevin Cyr said the children were outside crying when a neighbor saw them and called police. They were locked out of the apartment for more than hour when temperatures were about 10 degrees Fahrenheit, he said.

Officers did not locate Fahey until about 6 p.m. that evening. The drug charges were brought after officers went inside the apartment and saw heroin out in plain sight, according to Cyr.

Fahey still has custody of the children although the state Division of Children, Youth and Families is investigating, the chief said.

What's next:Fahey is to be arraigned March 5 in 10th Circuit Court, Brentwood District Division.