Erin Lee Macke, a 30-year-old Iowa mother, was arrested on Thursday, September 28, after she left her four kids home alone to go on a trip to Germany.
Macke, 30, was charged with four counts of child endangerment and one count of making a firearm available to a person under the age of 21 after she jettisoned off to Europe for an 11-day-trip while her children sat at home.
Back on September 21, Johnston, Iowa police were called to Macke’s home after receiving a report that four children were left unsupervised in the home.
Responding officers found Macke’s four children, ages 12, 12, 7, and 6.
Upon further investigation, police learned Macke left the country on Sept. 20 and was not scheduled to return until Oct. 1. She made no arrangements to provide supervision of the children while she was away, according to police.
The Iowa Department of Human Services took custody of the kids. Police called Macke while she was in Germany and demanded she return home. Once she returned, she was arrested. She is currently booked in Polk County Jail with no bond. The children are staying with family members.
While Macke didn’t plan on returning until October 1, police contacted her in Germany and demanded she return home upon learning of the incident.
She now faces four counts of child endangerment and one count of making a firearm available to a person under the age of 21. Each count of child endangerment carries up to a 10-year sentence and $10,000 fine.
Iowa Department of Human Services took custody of her children, who have been placed with extended family members.
Macke is currently being held without bond at Iowa’s Polk County Jail.
