How long would it take for you to notice that one of your children is missing?

For one family in Australia, it was reminiscent of the movie Home Alone.  Except that the family in the movie actually noticed that their child was missing relatively quickly and the entire movie was about them trying to get home to him during the busy holiday season.  Oh, and the child fighting off crimminals who wanted to rob his house.  The usual.

The family in Australia did not notice that their 5 yr old son was missing for 14 hours.  FOURTEEN. 

They had brought their eight children along with a bunch of neighborhood children to see a holiday light display.  They had driven two cars, so each parent though the other one had the child.  So far I can understand.  When they arrived home they sent all the kids immediately to bed. I could maybe understand this one… like each parent thinks the other is helping the child into bed. 

But here is where the family loses me.  They did not notice  he was missing until lunchtime the next day.  Do they not check on their kids in bed?  Or fix them breakfast? Or notice that they didn’t say good morning to one  of their kids?