HOUSTON—Police say that two women left three children alone in an apartment with no electricity while they went to get something to eat.

Lucidalia Martinez, 38, and Brenda Vazquez, 34, are charged with endangering a child.

Martinez and Vazquez are accused of leaving a two-year-old, four-year-old and eight-year-old alone in a dark apartment with no air conditioning and spoiled food in the fridge on September 10.

The two women are roommates, according to investigators, and they left to eat at McDonald's and charge their cellphones.

Authorities say that they were called after neighbors heard the children crying. It is unclear how long the kids were left alone, but they were found at 8:50 p.m. and the women were arrested when they returned to the apartment at 9:50 p.m.

They had not purchased any food for the children.

"That's got to [be] devastating," said neighbor Chezarea Jones. "You don't have any cold water, no ways to cook food and you don't have a parent there to supervise you and provide for you. I feel parents should be there to provide children's every need."

Both women are being held in police custody without bond.