A mother-of-four children was "in the grips of an extended drinking binge" when her four young children were found walking along a busy Hamilton street on their own.
The 24-year-old woman put her children, all aged under 5, to bed before going partying and leaving them with her brother who was in the house, Fairfax reported.
Her brother went to work at 5am the next day thinking the woman had returned home.
But about 11am that day four children were spotted walking along the road and the two youngest were only wearing nappies, according to Fairfax.
The children were taken into CYFs care but it was not until the woman returned home 12 hours later that she realised the children were no longer at the house.