Agreed.
This sounds like too much, but the “authorities” far too often get involved when baby sitting-aged kids are left for a bit.
I do not agree. 12 year olds may be left for a few hours by themselves, but for over a week, no way. The “authorities” were well advised to step in here. There were relatives as they ended up in their care. That would have been proper, for the mother to have left the kids with them or at least have them provide some oversight. Yes this is child endangerment.
When I was 12 (54 years ago), the mother and father across the street went to New Mexico for a week. I stayed at their house and watched their 4 kids (10, 8, 6,and 3), cooked, did the laundry, supervised the kids in the pool.
My mother was across the street in case I needed anything (I didn’t).
It seems crazy now - especially supervising the kids in the pool - and I feel fortunate that there wasn’t any kind of medical emergency.