The mother took advantage of a stop on the train she was traveling with two minor children to step out for a cigarette in Mannheim, Germany. However, just a few seconds later, the transport started moving, leaving the children alone.
According to the German Federal Police, information reported by the magazine Bild, the incident occurred early Wednesday morning when the woman decided to take a break to smoke during a stop of the high-speed ICE (Intercity Express) train at Mannheim Central Station.
When she returned, the train doors had already closed, and the train continued its journey, leaving the two boys unattended.
The woman notified the Federal Police about the children being left alone on the ICE train heading to Stuttgart approximately 1 hour and 54 minutes later. The police, in turn, contacted the railway company.
When the train arrived at Stuttgart Central Station around 2:30 AM, agents were already waiting for the two brothers. The children were subsequently handed over to a relative.