I live in the US and watch very little TV and was totally unaware of this situation. I happened to read in the paper tonight about it and read it aloud to my husband. I am not a child focused human being (can take them or leave them alone!!!!!--although have three kids, now 25, 22 and 18)) but regardless of who did or didn't do anything to the child, HOW CAN IT BE RIGHT TO LEAVE THREE CHILDREN OF THAT AGE ALONE -- IN A STRANGE COUNTRY or in their own homes?????. The poster who indicated his 10 year old enjoyed being home for a couple of hours alone -- 10 years old is not 4 years old!!!! I had a child who - at the age of 3.5 (for various long and complicated reasons) was non verbal. If he was in distress he could not even have verbalized it. Before I saw this thread my husband and I were talking and said -- well, what would we have done -- and we agreed we would have gone out to eat separately and told each other about our pleasurable meals on our return. It cannot be right to leave children of that age alone.....it just can't.....