A Johnstown woman is in jail, accused of leaving her small child wandering around outside all alone.

Police arrested Dalla Hotchkiss on Wednesday after they said she endangered her 6-year-old child. Police said the girl came from school on Dec. 13 to an empty house and was unable to get inside. They said she had to stand outside alone in the cold, unable to find her mother. It was a passerby who noticed the little girl alone on the side of the street crying.

"She was concerned because she couldn't find her mother," said Johnstown police chief Craig Foust. "She wasn't dressed for the weather and it was cold that day."

Police went back to the Railroad Street apartment to investigate. That when they discovered the apartment was in a deplorable condition. Police said there was rotting food lying out and feces covering the floor. The only furniture inside the apartment was a dirty mattress upstairs that was covered in trash.

Police said that the child is now receiving proper care.

"That's the one good thing that usually comes out of these, is ... a lot of these incidents are not in public view and people don't know about it," said Foust. "Once it becomes exposed, then the proper people can step in and make sure of the child's safety."

Police said the little girl is being cared for by her grandmother. As for Hotchkiss, she was unable to post bail on Wednesday, so she's spending the night in jail. A preliminary hearing has been set for Jan. 5.