Single mom leaves 13-yr-old home alone for a week with pre-made meals, money, & credit cards -- Is subsequently arrested for child endangerment

CROTON-ON-HUDSON - A village mother was accused of taking the "Home Alone" scenario to a new extreme, leaving her 13-year-old daughter behind during her weeklong trip to Taiwan.

Police charged the single mom, Winifred Chaffee, with misdemeanor child endangerment, despite her claim that she left her girl with plenty of cash, credit cards and prepared meals.

"If you want to leave your 13-year-old home for like an hour or two to go to dinner or shop, that's acceptable, depending on how mature the kid is," Croton police Sgt. John Nikotopoulos said. "We obviously felt this was not right and made the arrest." [...]

"When the mother returned, we interviewed her and obviously she admitted to leaving the child alone," Nikotopoulos said. "She thought it was OK. She left her with pre-made meals, money, credit cards, whatever the child needed."