KENNER - Police arrested a mother who left her young children in a hot car, then attacked the person who called 911.

Officers were called to the 2500 block of Williams Boulevard around 1:23 p.m. Sunday, WWL-TV reports. Witnesses say an 11-month old and a 3-year-old locked inside a car.

Police say the children had been in the car for more than an hour. Temperatures were in the 90s Sunday.

Bystanders were able to free the children before law enforcement arrived at the scene. The mother of the children, 22-year-old Shawnise Sherman, also arrived at the car before police. Sherman started yelling at the 911 caller and other witnesses once she learned police were on the way.

Sherman also allegedly physically attacked the caller.

Police arrested Sherman and charged her with child desertion and simple battery. Both children were treated at the scene by EMS and released to a family member.

The news outlet reports that Police Chief Michael Glaser said the 911 caller did the right thing.

“Taking into consideration the temperature and the amount of time the children were left in the vehicle, had it not been for the citizens actions we very well could have been dealing with a very tragic situation,” he said in a release.