On July 27th, 2023, officials arrived at a residence after receiving a report about two young children, ages nine and two, who had been left unsupervised overnight. The older child, appearing emotional, greeted the officers. Inside, the environment was unsafe, showing drugrelated materials, poor hygiene, and filth. The children were temporarily placed under protective care until their grandmother took over. Authorities later found the mother and spoke with her regarding the situation. Alexa. Okay. Um, could you come with us, please? Are you dead? Yeah, we're good. Okay. Um, it's going to be a few minutes if you don't mind hanging out. Yeah. Yeah, I can hang out. Just bring her down. Okay. All right. Appreciate it. So, I'm back. Okay. Just so you're aware, our cameras are on. Go ahead direct the stairs here chair like that so we're not all squeezed in. Okay. Um because of the circumstances um you're at the PD um you're in an interview room. Um I have to advise you of your rights. It's a bit of a formality, but I'd have to Do you understand each of these rights I've explained to you? I do. Having these rights of minds, do you wish to talk to us now? Okay. So, I am getting a lawyer, but I Yeah, sure. Okay. So, um, do you want to have them here or you said you kind of already know what's going on, right? I So, I kind of explained it to you on the phone, right? Um, what is your guys's extent? What is what's the definition of extended? What do you mean extended? Like extended period of time. Um I understand what I did. Okay. Not right. You know, but what is an extended like? So it the statute varies and there's a factors there's factors that go into it. Um there's the totality of it's called what is called the totality of the circumstances. I mean for one the the mental state of the child itself, the age speaking with her like literally minutes like the entire time I was gone for 3 hours. That's what what what is your like what is your definition of exciting? So So you're saying you were gone for 3 hours? I left at one the night she was like yes what when she was like around 1, I'm assuming. And what time? Like in the afternoon. Okay. Well, that's I'm We'll be honest with you. That's not what we No, I I No, I I did leave the night before. I came back home. Okay. Yeah. And she was still No, they were not. They were Yeah. Okay. So, you're saying you you left at 1:00, but you came back? Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. I talked to my neighbor. She was right next door and told her I was like, "Hey, keep an eye on them." You know, she was in the shower when you guys were there. And I was like, "How did you miss that?" And yeah, that's why I was asking who missed what? My my neighbor. Okay. My next door neighbor. We were best friends in high school. She happens to be my neighbor and I told her like, "Hey, I'm keep an eye on them. I'll be right." I planned on being right back, [Music] but her and my dad reading my ride. And what also took so long, which I spoke with you about. It was clear something was off with the woman's behavior, and it left everyone questioning her action. Her attitude was quite unusual. It seemed as if she thought she was above the law and would make things difficult for the officers. Even if she were here to provide any information, it appeared unlikely she would cooperate. People often don't realize that no one is above the law, no matter how much they believe it. Yeah, that's why I just I didn't know your guys' definition of extended regardless. She's 9 years old. An hour was too long, but that was like max what it was supposed to be. And yeah. Well, regardless, like you said, you know, regardless, I mean, it is what it is. And I No, and I and I fully Yes. But Okay. So, yeah, it in generally speaking, a 9-year-old cannot take care of a 2-year-old. It must be left unattended. Right. Sure. So, that's where that's where the charge legally. Yes. Legally. Legally. And given the conditions that the house was in, right? um the fact that the the 2-year-old uh was soiled um she had urinated through her diaper, through her clothes and been an extended period of time clearly since the diaper been changed. Right. Reasonably so. Right. And her dad bought her size three diapers cuz he's a dumb ass. She size five diapers. Okay. So that also doesn't help. But you understand absolutely 100%. Um, cannabis is illegal, but there's cannabis pipe that's on the couch. You know, there's there's burnt cigarettes that are also on the couch. There's, you know what I'm saying? There's there's a lot of things that went into course the investigation and unfortunately um, you know, we have to take action as law enforcement officers. We have No, I understand. Absolutely. Um and and we as officers have that right to then take children into protective custody and notify DCS DCFS if there's no way for them to be cared for at that time. Right. Mhm. So and that's exactly what we did. So we been on the phone. We were on the phone and correct. Um and they helped take care of the girls occasionally. Um, so have you been contacted by DCFS at all yet or have you been in contact with or I've tried to call her multiple times? Yeah. Yeah. DCFS is is obviously going to have an investigation. So here's and I'll lay this out to you. Okay. So we speaking when we first got there if you were home I just Okay. Well, I mean, I know we saw like the messages and stuff, everything there, but we also saw the Snapchat at midnight. That Yeah, that was And then I came home literally like What time did you come home in the morning? I was picking my husband up. She works at Central Avenue Tech in She got off around like 1:00 and she goes by, dropped her off and went home and they were asleep. Okay. Yeah, they were up for a while, so they obviously slept in, but yeah. Okay. No, you and you can talk to my neighbor. I mean, she can attest to that. So, after you dropped her off at 1:00, about what time would you say you got back? Last night. What would have been this morning? No, I mean technically, I guess, but like I dropped my cousin off at home. She lives 5 minutes away from me and my own directly. The woman had started telling long stories and she kept going nonstop. She was neither listening nor understanding anything. If she were competing in a fairy tale contest, she would have won first prize. Why did she choose to ignore everything around her and keep talking as if her own version of reality was the only truth? But no, I talked right before around like 1 today. And hey, I'll be right back cuz that was the plan. And here we are. So once you got back, did you what did you do after that? Once you got after got dropping her off. I went home once. And then did you leave again? At 1:00 in the afternoon. The next day. Yes. One in the afternoon. The next day. Yes. So today. Yeah. Okay. So it's So you left at one is gone, right? Yeah. This No. No. So who absolutely who can confirm what you're telling us? Okay. Absolutely. Because you I mean you understand where that makes a complete difference her thinking. Yeah. Oh, absolutely. And No, because I mean that's that's how it appears given the circumstances of That's not No, not at all. No, I I'm assuming that. Yeah. No. Yeah. But she's asleep when or she's awake when you left. She's asleep when you got home. She's still asleep when you left the They were not both of them. Yeah, they were up. So when she wakes up. I mean I I woke her up. No, I woke her up but she's absolute. You know what I mean? Yeah. But they she said they they had not eaten anything. I have plenty of food in my house. She wanted me to bring her Taco Bell and that's that's really what I saw the Taco Bell. Yeah. She went to Taco Bell. That's why I have plenty of food in my house. She had plenty of access to food. That's not a problem. No. Okay. So Well, the problem is she's 9 years old. No. Absolutely. Absolutely. Diet makes a huge difference. I mean, wrong is wrong regardless, but I'm not that damn wrong. No, we've never met yet. So, yeah. So, I mean, when we we get there and she's distraught. So, yes. Like, think about what we're walking into walking into. Yes. Yes. And she's a 9-year-old girl that literally was just speaking to like you've seen that. I don't know. Right. But I mean, like you like you acknowledge. Doesn't matter. Not his mom. No, absolutely. It doesn't matter if it's 15 minutes or if it's right. Right. You know, 15 hours as it appeared. No. Right. No. That 15 minutes. Right. Right. Right. Is this I mean, has stuff like this happened before? No. Is that No. Yeah. We'll sit with each other's kids. I'll sit with her kids. Absolutely. Absolutely. She's in the apartment. Yeah. Literally right my next door. We're best friends in high school. Does she have kids? She has two girls about the same age or they're a little bit a little mine, but a little bit younger. Yeah. Is there anybody else that would have come and gone from that or having did you have anybody else with you or that dropped my cousin off? No. But nobody else came back to the apartment or anything. Okay. Was that a last minute thing to go pick her up or was that she? Yeah. Yeah. No, she didn't have a car, got stuck at work and Yeah, that was definitely last minute and it find Uber. I don't know. While giving information, the woman's behavior didn't seem sincere or genuine at all. She sat in the chair with her legs crossed, acting as if she were a VIP guest, and everyone else was her employee. It's always those kinds of people who, when the law catches up with them, end up crying. Did you Did was Ally aware that you were going to be leaving that night to take care of the kids? Yeah. Okay. You talked to her about it specifically? Yeah. Okay. And like through text or through phone conversation or just No, it's not. Okay. And she was up at 1:00 a.m. Yeah. Well, I heard her kid crying and so I knew she was up so just ran over there. I mean, like I said, her best friend's in high school and she messaged me on Facebook was like, "Hey, I think you're near your neighbor." So, like it kind It's nice, you know. Does he watch your kids pretty often? I would say often, but like if we're going to run somewhere, whatever. Yeah. She's right next door, you know? It's convenient and it helps. So, how she Yeah. Yeah. She plays with her daughter. And like I said, they're a little bit young. She's used to her friends are either way younger or way older. So our youngest daughters are about the same age. And do you have any other open DCFS cases? No. Okay. You saw a DCFS letter that was right there in the the doorway. I didn't read it. No. No. That was old. And it was an unfounded case. Okay. So do you remember the circumstances of that? I don't. Yeah. I mean it was unfounded. Yeah. All right. messages going back through. You go to pick her up your cousin the second one. Mhm. At 1:00 from a bar in Borf central central town. Right over the bridge. Yeah. She got right down there. Where where did she live? Where you drop her off? Like probably 5 10 or so. She lives um east. East morning. Okay. Yeah. She dropped her off and then went home. How long do you think that whole thing took from going to pick her up at 1 in? The bars close at what? She she had clothes on her. So yeah. Um like 30 minutes. I ran the trash out with her and we immediately left and dropped her off. Didn't even get on the car. I put in park and went home. So you say we were at home like maybe like 1:30 1:45ish. Yeah. 13. They have decent decent cameras at the at No, I mean at the camp there. Yeah, I'm sure. So be able to see coming and going time when you're telling me. Yeah. Okay. What was wrong with the car? I'm still trying to figure that out. Her boyfriend is dealing with that asleep. I hit a deer and it my car up. So just go like when you got back just went to bed pretty much immediately. Yeah. And the girls were sleeping that time. What time do you think you woke up today? I'm not sure. Not really. I'm from Where were the girls sleeping in the house? Were they in the living room or upstairs? On the couch. Okay. On the couch. Both of them probably. Yeah. Okay. No, buddies. And what time did you You said you left at 1:00 today. Around the time I Yeah. And where did you go this afternoon? I go this afternoon. I was supposed to let her take my car and she was supposed to drop me back off at home. I was letting her borrow my car. It was her. Okay. Yeah. The officers listened carefully to every word the woman said, paying attention to even the most minor details. The main reason behind this was that they wanted to see if she would become trapped by her own lies and face the consequences. The officer's method of gathering information was commendable and efficient. So, she was going to borrow your car today? Take it and drop me back off at home. Okay. And then then what happened? Stalled down. Okay. Where where is that at? It was like leave shortly leaving her apartment. Okay. And you just want to leave. Yeah. It was not far. Where were you at when you when we started talking? I walked to her apartment. You So you were at her apartment. Yeah. I would have just walked home if I knew, you know, like but I mean that would have been a hell of a walk and I But so who was the ride that you said you were going to get? You said that you had a ride with my friend but he had to go to work and so thankfully my dad is in town. Where's your dad from? U he's from here but we just took a job out in Colorado and he's in town for my birthday. Okay. Yeah. The number that we're communicating on is that that's the best number to contact you. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So you're you're going to be getting call from DCFS. I Yeah, of course. Because as of right now there's a safety plan in place. Okay. So there's a plan set up by DCFS while they conduct their investigation to make sure the girls have adequate safety and supervision. Okay. I haven't saw no safety plan. Mhm. No, I understand. No, I haven't signed money. So, there's not a safety plan set in place. DCFS has has done a safety plan. I can get you a contact number for the the case worker. No. Yeah. Yeah. I'm just um What does that entail? Uh they will conduct their investigation to and determine whether or not basically that you're you're fit to take care of them at that point, right? So, until that point, until that they make their final decision and it goes to court, then they court. Well, not necessarily the the criminal case, but the family court matter. So they decide and they get an order um for the children to go into different custody. That's kind of where things are at as of now. So that that's that has nothing to do with us. That's DCFS, right? And we are like say like you said no they can do safety recommendations and they can recommend all but there's not a safety there's not a safety is also involved. Dylan's here. I'm sure Dylan and they sound real good. Of course. Well, I didn't speak to them. Okay. I mean, just gave him the synopsis of what's going on, right? Uh, you guys have 50. I have custody. He has visitation. Okay. Yeah. 5050. Do you guys have copies of that paperwork somewhere? I do. Okay. Yeah. I don't know. Uh, so that's where things are now. Like I said, you're going to be contacted by um DCFS in the future. I can't I can't say when. It has to be within 24 to 48 hours on that. And I'm sure they they will contact you tomorrow before the weekend. So, but as is a safety plan, but like there's no safety plan in place cuz nothing was signed by both parties. So, like those kids Well, I I can't speak to the practices of these. No, I mean I can't I know I've I'm familiar like I've never personally had one. I you can they can recommend but there's also emergency emergency circumstances where things had to be done without parental consent on both sides. No. Yeah. Yeah. So, and given the circumstances and the facts that we have leading up to this, that's where things were at. Okay. So, where's what's up with my youngest daughter then? Uh, the plan is that right now that they're both in the care of That's not her dad. Well, she's with your mom now. Both of them are dead. She has a dad and that's not See, there is no s You understand what I'm saying? There is no That's not a safety plan. That's not what they would do. That's the plan that we have in place. Okay. Not we, but D. She can go with her dad. She don't Yeah, she has a dad. You can talk to DFS about that one. Hold on. I would have to talk to my mom. Okay. That's not a safety. That's not Again, I mean, we can we can split hairs on what the verbiage is or what the the course of action is, but that's that's where things are as No, I get that. Yeah. So, anything else? You guys can Yeah. do what you got to do. I'm sure they will, too. But, okay. So, um we're going to do all the the we're going to do all the booking here and then we'll give you a court date. It's not like the old days where you jail for a misdemeanor. This is Yeah, we Yeah, we just Not that I want to go to jail or anything, but that's crazy. I don't when they pass that be first of the year. Um, these laws came into effect about 2019. Kind of go like and like not go. Not that not quite. No, but like bad people felonies still very I see domestic batteries. They is it they make it sound bad like you can I don't know. I see stuff on the news or like people on videos that are like you can Illinois you can do break kill whatever not go to jail. That's not really the case. I would hope not. No. Um yeah. So we'll go downstairs. We'll get through the paperwork and then you'll be a court date. We'll get you that. You got like I said fill out all the paperwork. Okay. So you have a court date on the 28th of August. If you'd come over here, please, and sign, read here. This is just um just goes over explaining everything. You know, you're no bond. You're just going to have an this just that you a notice that you could appear on the 28th. Questions, comments, concerns, something? Not right now. Okay. Let you out the back. Who you up front? Yeah. Appreciate it. Thank you. Take care. Just make sure they answer the phone tomorrow. Okay. All the evidence was against her. Yet, she was released after the paperwork was completed and a court date was set. However, throughout the entire ordeal, the officer's patience and way of handling the situation were commendable. Our heroes always prioritize respect for everyone, and we take pride in them. 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