Let's please refrain from blaming the family for now. There is no evidence she was hanging out with SOs or anything. I know it is easy to want to lash out because we see so many crappy parents these days, but we have no evidence she is like that at this juncture.
When I looked at her MS, I noticed she said she would have to "take out a loan" to go to the movies. Perhaps after school care wasn't affordable to her.
When I had two young kids, my job wouldn't let me take off for ANYTHING. I had to use my lunch hour to see my oldest son's middle school graduation! Some jobs are like that and in this day and age, people need to hold on to what they get. It SUCKS. I was paying a fortune for child care for my youngest son and my oldest had to walk a long way. I was sick about it every day for a long time and then some friends who owned a book store that went to my church offered to let him go there after school. I was so thankful as I had no family nearby to help me and latchkey care cost as much as full-time care for my younger son! Due to "insurance" and such, I was told!
We don't know this mother's situation. I'm not a partier at all and yet, I can't judge her unless I learn more about her circumstances.
As for the walking home, if this is a situation at all these schools, then perhaps the people who are home could be "watchers" after school. I wouldn't mind opening my door or windows to watch kids in my neighborhood walk home safely! We need to start thinking outside the box to solve this problem!