Mom faces charges after 4 kids locked in basement without food, toilet for hours

PHILADELPHIA — Police say a Philadelphia mother locked her four children in the basement for nearly 15 hours without food or a bathroom as punishment.

Police say she will face four counts of endangering the welfare of a child and other offenses.

Authorities rescued the children ages 9 to 13 on Sunday from the home in the city's Kensington section after one of the children used a cellphone to dial 911.

Firefighters broke through a second floor window to enter the locked home.

The 13-year-old boy, 12-year-old girl, 10-year-old girl and 9-year-old girl were taken to St. Christopher's Hospital for Children for evaluation.

They're being placed in the custody of family members or social services.