Charges filed against mother who left child in car
Police in the Town of Cicero filed charges against the mother of a toddler she left in the back seat of a running vehicle as she went into a restaurant to pick up a pizza. While she was in the restaurant, a suspect stole the car with the baby in the back. The car was later found abandoned a few blocks away, leading police to believe the thief abandoned it when he discovered the baby
Cicero Police filed charges against the 30 year old mother who left her toddler in the back seat of her car to pick up a pizza, when the car was then stolen late Monday afternoon (July 17, 2017) from in front of a restaurant in the Town of Cicero.
Charged was Tania H. Madrigal (Nov. 16, 1986) of 3999 Parrish Avenue of East Chicago, Indiana.
Madrigal had parked her car in front of a restaurant in Cicero, Al’s Italian Restaurant, 6050 W. Cermak Road (22nd Street), and left the car running. Her baby was strapped in the back seat when she went inside to pickup a pizza to eat for dinner.
While in the restaurant, a suspect saw the car running with the keys in the ignition of the Jeep Cherokee, and commandeered the vehicle driving it a few blocks when the suspect, described as a male Hispanic, realized there was a baby in the back seat, police believe. The suspect then drove the car to a nearby alley a few blocks from the restaurant and abandoned it with the baby inside, unharmed.
A vigilant neighbor noticed the vehicle in the alley running and when she went to inspect it saw the baby strapped in the back seat by itself with no adult, motorist or driver in the area. The woman called 9/11 and the baby and the vehicle were recovered. The toddler was safe with no injuries.
Cicero Police continue to look for the suspect who stole the car. The suspect is described as a male, Hispanic, 5 foot 7 inches tall and weighing about 140 pounds wearing a red shirt.
The charges filed against Ms. Madrigal include Endangering the Life/Health of a Child. Ms. Madrigal was also wanted on an outstanding warrant from Oak Lawn for a Bond Forfeiture Warrant for DUI, police officials said.
“I want to thank all of the individuals who stepped forward to help us in this case, and the work of our detectives,” said Cicero Police Chief Jerry Chlada Jr. “We received a lot of help from the public and I am glad that the baby was returned to its mother safe and sound.”
Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.
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