No one thinks that leaving your young kids at the mall alone while you goto work is the right thing to do but it certainly gets you thinking on what circumstances may lead a parent to do such a thing.

It’s not like these parents were out getting high or hanging with friends, they were working, trying to keep their family afloat.

Jean Seide, 39, and Bilaine Seint-Just, 36, are custodians at Eastview Mall in Victor, New York. They couldn’t afford child care for their three children ages 8, 6 and 1-month. So they left the kids in the mall, alone, on a bench while they worked.

They were arrested and charged with a misdemeanour.

When the news got out there a GoFundMe page was created by a single mother of three, Amy Gagliano. The goal was $10,000 but news spread and so far has raised over $18,000.

One large donation of $7,500 was given by Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Branden Albert who told Rochester television station WHAM

“I’ve been through this,”

“I’ve seen this story by my family, friends, and people I’ve grown up with. It’s a rough world.”

“At least they’re working,”

“At least they were out doing something in trying to provide for the family. Was it the best thing to do? No. People are looking for hope and if I can provide hope the best way I can, I don’t have any hesitation in helping people out.”

You can find the GoFundMe page here.