I live in NC and was wondering what age a child can legally stay at home alone. I am divorced to my childrens dad and we have 3 children. We both remarried and I am having some issues with the way they are being treated. She kept them out of school one day this week claiming she took them to the Dr. I found out from my sons teacher. I called to find out if everything was okay and she said that they had physicals and everyone was healthy and she would give me a copy of the Dr. report. Another day this week one of my daughters was out of school (another day) for an earache. My oldest came here that day afterschool so I could take her to Cotillian and while the stepmom was at the school picking up my son we get a call from her cell, i didn't get to the phone on time so I had my daughter call her back. My other daughter answers the phone and I hear the daughter who was here say "you should not be answering the phone if you are there alone". She is only 9 and the stepmom was 25 mins away without her cell phone! Apparently from what my daughter says they do it all the time. I asked about the Dr. and my daughter said it was fine then I asked if they checked their ears because according to my other daughter she had an earache and I didn't know if it was an ear infection. My daughter then says they did not go to the Dr. and her other family wanted her to say that so that I would not get upset about them missing another day and I couldn't tell them that she told me because they would get so mad. They have done things like one of my daughters was playing (9 yr old) with a pockety knife that they bought her and she slice her finger they told her that all the Hospitals were closed (hospitals close?) and they took her to the fire dept., she really needed stitches. My son was seen playing with a box cutter at their house and something had to be said 2 times for the stepmom to realize he could cut himself.
What can I do about this I am wooried they are being negleted!

