The Picayune Police Department recently made two arrests in unrelated cases dealing with the illegal sale of drugs at a local restaurant and child neglect respectively.

A Carriere man was arrested on Sept. 3 after he was caught selling drugs at a restaurant on Memorial Boulevard. Picayune narcotics detectives were surveilling the area after they received information leading them to believe illegal transactions were occurring at the restaurant’s parking lot, Assistant Chief Jeremy Magri said.

Detectives observed two males at approximately 1:41 p.m. on Thursday entering a parked vehicle and conducting what appeared to be a narcotics transaction. Moments later, detectives observed 23-year-old Corbin Bryant, of 402 South Main St., exit the vehicle and walk away, Magri said.

When detectives approached the vehicle, they found 23-year-old Jeremy Schwartz, of 121 Woodland Rd. in Carriere, sitting inside. As detectives detained Schwartz, they observed Bryant tossing a plastic bag on the ground as he walked away. At that time, police detained Bryant and recovered the plastic bag, which contained a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana, Magri said.

Detectives later learned Schwartz allegedly sold the narcotics to Bryant. Schwartz was charged with the sale of a controlled substance within 1,500 feet of a church while Byant was issued a post-arrest citation for possession of a controlled substance, but was released at the scene, Magri said.

In an unrelated case, officers arrested a mother on Sept. 9 after she allegedly left her child behind at a local business. Officers were dispatched to the business at 6:15 p.m. after a store employee called police to report that a 2-year-old boy was left alone at the store, Magri said.

When officers arrived, they observed the child to be standing near the store’s front counter. The complainant told officers two females, along with four children, including the 2-year-old, entered the store at around 6:05 p.m. The complainant said the children were allegedly playing with toys and spraying silly string throughout the store as the females were shopping, Magri said.

At that time, the women were asked by store employees to pay for the used items. The complainant said one of the women allegedly yelled at her but then paid for the items, Magri said.

Once they paid for the items, they left the store. Moments later, the complainant noticed a boy, who she recognized as belonging to the party that just left, running around the store alone, Magri said.

After 45 minutes on the scene, officers noticed 27-year-old Tequita McCann of 1407 Rosa St. enter the store, looking for her child, Magri said.

When officers questioned McCann, she confirmed that they had paid for the used items and left the store unaware she left behind her son behind. She told officers she thought her female friend accounted for all the children when they left and didn’t realize he wasn’t with them until they visited another store, Magri said.

McCann was arrested for child neglect and her son was released to a friend, Magri said.

Officers contacted officials with the Department of Human Services, who said they plan to investigate the case, Magri said.