Milton mother charged with public drunkenness

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ALPHARETTA, Ga. — State child welfare officials are investigating a Milton mother after a drunken incident, police said.
 
Police charged 34-year-old Esther Lucero after they say they found her passed out in her car.
 
Dashcam video obtained by Channel 2's Mike Petchenik shows police trying to corral a seemingly very drunk Lucero on March 19.
 
Minutes earlier, police said they got a call to a Highway 9 bar.

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"(They) found the suspect inside of her vehicle, unclothed and seemingly unresponsive to their request to speak with her," Lt. Charles Barstow said.

An incident report says a bartender at Montana's Grill took away Lucero's keys after she'd had too much to drink.

But Barstow says officers soon learned this was more than a case of public drunkenness.

"She is the single parent there and was not at the residence and was out at the bar drinking instead,” Barstow said.

Police said Lucero's 11-year-old son was home alone, and while Barstow said Georgia law doesn't require parental supervision of children over the age of 9 in some cases.

"Our officers were concerned enough to where they made contact with DFACS and made them aware of the situation," he said.
 
Barstow said child welfare investigators are looking into the situation.
 
Jamie Williams, who runs a jiu jitsu studio next to the bar, said he wishes Lucero the best.
 
"It would seem like an irresponsible decision to pass out knowing you've got a little one at home," Williams said.
 
Lucero is facing only public drunkenness and public indecency charges.
 
Petchenik contacted Lucero for comment, and she emailed back to say she had no comment and threatened to call the police to report harassment if he asked any questions.