Two women in Quebec City were detained and questioned after two toddlers were found alone, locked in a room of an apartment.
Police were called to a housing complex in the Charlesbourg neighbourhood Monday afternoon after neighbours saw two young children on the windowsill of third floor apartment.
Lorraine Giguère, who works at a convenience store across the road, said she could tell the window was open and panicked when one of the children stood up, holding the frame with both hands.
"I kept thinking 'They're going to fall, they're going to fall," said Giguère, who called police as one the customers of her store tried to get buzzed into the building to reach the children.
When police entered the home, they found the twin siblings alone inside a locked bedroom.
''There was no adult —no one to take care of the children,'' said Const. David Poitras of the Quebec City police.
Police found the room full of "excrements and garbage on the ground," said Poitras.
Officers gave food and water to the toddlers after discovering there was nothing to eat in the home.
The children, who are two years old, were transferred to the care of youth protection. Police later located two women, the mother and grandmother of the twins, who were detained and questioned.
The women, aged 18 and 38, have been released from custody.
Police have not yet laid any charges.