RICHLAND TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- A Bucks County mom was arrested after driving to an elementary school to pick up her sick child, police said.

Police said she was driving drunk with four children not related to her in the vehicle, NBC 10's Deanna Durante reported.

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"It unreal. It's unfathomable to me why somebody would drink the way she apparently did and then decide to throw four kids in the car and head off somewhere on the highways. It's just ridiculous," Richland Township Police Chief Larry Cerami said.

That's exactly what police said 41-year-old Sherry Ambolino did.

They said Monday at about 9:30 a.m. she was called to pick up her child, who was sick at school. Investigators said she loaded the four kids she was baby-sitting for the day, including an infant, in her minivan.

But, when she arrived at Richland Elementary School, a staff member called police.

"It's my understanding that, you know, she was blowing liquor all over everybody, and that's why they gave us a call," Cerami said.

Ambolino was arrested, and investigator said she failed a field sobriety test. She is facing DUI and child endangerment charges, and investigators said there could be more coming.

"I'm kind of shocked that there could possibly be anything because she always seemed so friendly and so with it," neighbor Frank Toughill said.

"All I can say is that she's a really nice lady, and I think she's just going through hard times," neighbor Deedee Koffel said.

Neighbors said this doesn't sound like the woman they know.

But Quakertown police said Ambolino has been charged with DUI before. They said she smashed the same minivan she drove Monday into a stop sign on Feb. 29. Quakertown police said Ambolino was drunk then, too.

A man who was at Ambolino's home refused comment, only saying reporters don't know the woman or what she's going through, Durante reported.

Police said traumatic times or not, Ambolino must answer for her alleged crimes.

"It's obnoxious. I mean, I just can't understand why people want to put themselves in that position, put these kids in that position and, obviously, the other motorists on the road with whom she has contact, she put them in that position, too. I just don't understand it," Cerami said.

Ambolino was unavailable for comment Tuesday.

Police said all four of the children in her vehicle were unharmed and returned to their parents.