(Source: Johnston Police/KCCI/CNN) 
 
 JOHNSTON, IA (KCCI/CNN) - It's like a real-life version of the movie "Home Alone," except in this case, the children were purposely left behind.  CLOSE Erin Lee 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, according to Johnston police. She is being held in the Polk County Jail in lieu of a $9,000 bond. "All of her sitter options fell through, and she left the kids in the care of the two 12-year-olds," said Lt. Tyler Tompkins, Johnston Police Department. Receiving a tip from the father of one of the children, police checked in on the children and called the Department of Human Services, who then placed the children with other family members. She answered the phone, had a conversation with our officer, did not see it being a problem," 
 
 Officers told Macke her children were turned over to DHA and convinced her to come home early, which she did - six days later. Police said they have never experienced something like this before. "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," Tompkins said. 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. (Photo: Special to the Register) 
 
 A Johnston mom was arrested on Thursday after she left her four kids home alone to go on a trip to Germany. 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.
– An Iowa woman departed on a European vacation on Sept. 20 but allegedly left some rather important articles behind: her four kids. Erin Macke, 30, is accused of child endangerment after she allegedly left her kids home alone while she traveled to Germany. After receiving a call from the father of one of the kids, Johnston police say they visited Macke's home on Sept. 21 and found four children—ages 6, 7, 12, and 12—alone. According to police, the kids said their mom had "left the country" and wasn't to return until Oct. 1. Police called Macke, who explained "all of her sitter options fell through, and she left the kids in the care of the two 12-year-olds," officer Tyler Tompskins tells KCCI. She "did not see it being a problem." Tompskins says he knows of cases where parents left their kids alone for a few hours, or even a night. But "this, where a parent has left the country and left the kids home alone, I've never heard of it before," he tells KCCI. Police told Macke to return early, and she made it back to the US on Wednesday. On Thursday, she was arrested and charged with four counts of child endangerment and one count of making a firearm available to a person under the age of 21, reports the Des Moines Register. (The latter is because police say a handgun was left within reach of the kids.) Macke is being held in Polk County Jail and is not allowed to see her children, who are staying with family members. She appeared in court Friday and will return for a date on Oct. 9.