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WEBVTT rt>> ALL OF HER SITTER OPTIONSFELL THROUGH AND SHE LEFT THE12-YEAR-OLDS. rtMARIA: 30-YEAR-OLD ERIN MACKELEFT TWO 12-YEAR-OLDS AND A 6AND 7-YEAR-OLD ALONE IN THESEAPARTMENTS WHILE SHE TOOK AVACATION TO GERMANY.>> LUCKILY WE WERE ABLE TO GETrtTHERE THE NEXT DAY, SO THECHANCE OF SOMETHING HAPPENINGDROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY. MARIA: POLICE RECEIVED A TIPrtFROM ONE OF THE CHILDREN'SFATHER.THAT'S WHEN THEY CHECKED IN THECHILDREN, AND CALLED THEDEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES,WHO THEN PLACED THE CHILDRENWITH OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS.>> THEY WERE CONCERNED, THEYrtDIDN'T KNOW, THEY WERE CONFUSED,I MEAN WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT12-YEAR-OLDS BEING THE ADULTSHERE. MARIA MACKE WAS PLANNING ON: LEAVING HER KIDS ALONE FOR 10rtDAYS.>> WE CALLED HER, SHE ANSWEREDTHE PHONE, HAD A CONVERSATIONWITH OUR OFFICER, DID NOT SEE ITBEING A PROBLEM. MARIA OFFICERS TOLD MACKE HERrt: CHILDREN WERE TURNED OVER TODHS AND CONVINCED HER TO COMEHOME EARLY, WHICH SHE DID SIXDAYS LATER.JOHNSTON POLICE SAY THEY HAVENEVER EXPERIENCED SOMETHING LIKETHIS BEFORE.>> WE HAVE SITUATIONS WHEREPARENTS GOrt NEXT DOOR, OR PARENTSMAY GO OUT FOR THE NIGHT, ANDWHILE THAT'S NOT ADVISABLEEITHER DEPENDING ON THE AGE OFTHE CHILDREN, OBVIOUSLY LEAVINGTHE COUNTRY IS A TOTALLYrt

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An Iowa woman faces multiple charges after police said she left her four children home alone while taking a trip to Europe.Erin Lee Macke, 30, of Johnston, is charged with four counts of child endangerment – substantial risk, and one count of transfer of pistol or revolver to a person under 21.Johnston police Lt. Tyler Tompkins told KCCI that Macke left her children ages 12, 12, 7 and 6 alone at home Sept. 20 while she traveled to Germany.Tompkins said the children were left alone for 24 hours before the police department and Iowa Department of Human Services received a tip and visited the children.The children told police, “Mom left them and left the country,” police said.Tompkins told KCCI that police contacted Macke Sept. 21 and that Macke told officers she planned to be in Germany until Oct. 1."All of her sitter options fell through, and she left the kids in the care of the two 12-year-olds," Tompkins said.He admitted that the case is well out of the ordinary. “I’ve never heard of anything like this before,” Tompkins said. “We have situations where parents go next door or parents may go out for the night, and while that’s not advisable either depending on the age of the children, obviously leaving the country is a totally different situation. This, where a parent has left the country and left the kids home alone, I’ve never heard of it before.”Authorities said they convinced Macke to return to the United States before Oct. 1. She arrived Wednesday evening and was arrested Thursday morning.Police said the 12-year-old children are staying with family and the seven- and six-year-old children are with their father.Macke is charged with one count of transfer of pistol or revolver to a person under 21 because there was a firearm within reach of the children in the home, according to police.