Four-year-old left home alone as mother takes weekend break

A four-year-old girl was found "home alone" after her mother reportedly went on holiday, it emerged today.

Police found her after two 16-year-old boys, one of whom is believed to be her brother, were arrested on suspicion of driving offences in Crawley, West Sussex, at around 1am.

The mother is understood to have gone abroad over the weekend, leaving the little girl's brother in charge, according to local reports.

The girl's discovery was made after the two teenagers were stopped by police in the Maidenbower area in the early hours of yesterday.

The driver was arrested on suspicion of taking a car without the owner's consent, Sussex Police said as inquiries continued to trace the mother.
The second boy was held on suspicion of being carried in a stolen vehicle and child neglect.

Both have been freed on police bail until September 27.

Police said: "As a result of inquiries following the arrest of one of the boys, West Sussex Social Services have been informed by police that a four-year-old girl, known to one of the boys, was home alone at an address nearby.

"This matter is now being dealt with by West Sussex County Council."

A county council spokesman said tonight that they had no comment to make because police inquiries were still continuing.