She and her manager may think they broke the rules, but she clearly did not if her story is true. If she was responding to a genuine family emergency, then her actions are permitted under the current exemptions.
How do you know it was a genuine call for help?
There has been no explanation to say what the 'distressing' call was about, and she isn't going to say, 'Well it's my birthday on Tuesday and Mummy wanted to see me and give me my present.'