Lockport woman accused of leaving children inside vehicle while at bar: cops

A woman was arrested after she was accused of staying at a Joliet bar for at least 30 minutes while her two children – ages 2 and 3 – were inside a dirty vehicle with the windows rolled up, police said.

Kimberly Wells, 36, of Lockport was arrested on probable cause of endangering the life and health of a child and released on her own recognizance in the incident, according to a press release from Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English.

About 7:33 p.m. Tuesday, officers responded to the 1400 block of North Center Street for a welfare check, English said.

When officers arrived, they learned that a resident had located two boys, ages 2 and 3, who were left unattended in a vehicle parked on the street, English said. The vehicle’s engine was not running and all the windows were up.

The interior of the vehicle appeared to be in squalid condition and the children were not fully clothed, English said. The children were let out of the vehicle, he said.

While officers were with the children, Wells left Crow’s Nest bar across the street and told the officers she was the mother of the two boys, English said.

Further investigation led officers to determine that Wells had been inside the bar, he said.

Wells was arrested and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services was notified of the incident, English said.

The children were placed under the care of another family member.