A Tamaqua woman has been charged with child endangerment after police found her passed out on her living room couch with four minor children fending for themselves in the home.

The oldest child contacted her grandmother shortly after 11 a.m. on Dec. 29, worried about the younger children because her mother, a 35-year-old resident of the 400 block of East Broad Street, was drunk on the couch. Her identity is being withheld to protect the children.

The grandmother, who was unable to drive to the apartment, contacted police.

Officers went to the home, knocking loudly on the door for several minutes.

When they found the door unlocked, they entered the apartment and found the woman trying to get off the couch. There were three empty 20-ounce cans of an alcoholic beverage on the kitchen counter.

The children, ages 11, 6, 5 and 2 said they were told to keep quiet when the officers were knocking on the door.

The oldest child also said she tried to make breakfast for her siblings, but they were all told “to go back to bed.”

The children were transported to their grandmother’s house. Officers contacted Children and Youth about the situation.