FOUR CHILDREN who were left home alone by their mother have been taken into care by the HSE.
The three girls, aged 12, six and four, and their five-month-old brother were in their home on their own when gardaí in Navan arrived at the house after being alerted to the situation.
Their mother is believed to have travelled to England and is due home tomorrow. An older sibling is believed to have been left in charge but there was no adult present when gardaí arrived.
The children appeared to have been otherwise well cared for and the house was also well kept.
Gardaí were alerted by a member of the public and, under the provisions of the Child Care Act, they seized the children and handed them into the care of the HSE.
The incident took place on Tuesday, about 28 hours after their mother left. The whereabouts of the father of the children is not known.
In a statement the HSE would only say it “works closely with the gardaí to ensure the welfare and protection of children”.
It said it had “a duty and obligation to protect the privacy of the children in our care”.
