KEY POINTS:
Two Greymouth preschoolers are believed to be in state care after being left home alone for more than 12 hours by their parents.
A concerned neighbour found the abandoned pair, understood to be four and one, after hearing the older child sobbing at the back door of his home on Sunday afternoon, The Press reported.
The hungry children had attempted to cook pretzels in a frying pan during their time alone, the neighbour said. His name is not revealed in order to protect the identities of the children.
It is not yet known if police intend to press charges against the parents.
The neighbour told The Press he woke at 4.15am on Sunday to the sound of a child screaming and then sobbing, but on finding nothing untoward outside, he went back to bed.
About 3.30pm, he saw his neighbour's four-year-old crying and sobbing at the back door.
"I asked him what the matter was and he said he couldn't find his mum," the neighbour said.
"Five minutes later, he came out again, saying 'I've been through the house again and I still can't find my mum'."
The children's father was not home either but both parents' vehicles were parked in the drive, he said.
The neighbour decided to stay with the boys and comfort them until the parents returned.
"After talking to the eldest, we discovered that it was him I heard scream at 4am because he had got up looking for his mum and she wasn't there."
The older boy had got himself dressed that morning and played on the PlayStation. He then got his younger brother out of bed and they played.
"When they got hungry he tried to cook them a meal. He put a pan on the oven and a packet of pretzels in it, but fortunately he couldn't reach the oven dials to turn it on," the neighbour said.
Eventually he was able to contact the mother's half-sister, who rang the police, who informed Child, Youth and Family (CYF).
The mother returned home at 5.45pm, he said.
The neighbour believed the children had been home alone for 12 to 14 hours.
The family was not previously known to CYF, said spokeswoman Lee Harris Royal.
"However, we can confirm that these children are now in a safe and secure environment and we will continue to work with the family to ensure the children's ongoing welfare and safety."
- NZPA
