A mother of a 3-year-old boy found wandering the streets of Chicago’s West Englewood neighborhood alone was charged Tuesday.
She is charged with misdemeanor child endangerment.
Amanda Martin found the child wandering in the bitter cold just before midnight last night. The temperature overnight was in the teens. She went to hold his hand and she said it was like ice. He was fully dressed with an open coat and hat, jeans and sneakers, but his mother was nowhere to be found. Martin says he wasn’t crying and didn’t seem scared. She couldn’t understand his real name only his nickname “The Big Boss.” He didn’t know exactly where he lived.
Martin called 911. Chicago police came quickly.
Martin is grateful she’s the one who found the boy.
As for his mother, she spent the morning at the 7th District being questioned by detectives before being charged. Apparently a friend saw her son’s picture on TV this morning and let her know he wasn’t home.
The boy is now in DCFS custody.
10 Comments to “Boy found roaming Chicago streets alone; Mother charged”
January 15, 2013 at 4:49 PM
Wow. Thank you to Amanda Martin, our good samaritan of the day. I hope the child gets the care he needs and that this issue is resolved. We need more big eyes and ears and hearts like Amanda's.
January 15, 2013 at 5:56 PM
Her friend had to let her know that the boy was not at home??? WTH is wrong with people??
January 15, 2013 at 6:40 PM
I’m a new mother of a 14 month old baby girl. Even before I had a child or even thought about having kids I would have spit in this womans face if I had the chance to meet her. But even then she doesn’t deserve any of the attention she hasn’t given to her child… poor baby I’m glad he’s ok.
January 15, 2013 at 7:08 PM
She's out too, getting high on the curb.
January 15, 2013 at 8:29 PM
Okay, nobody really knows what the mother was doing, but what we DO know is that she wasn't where she should have been!!!
January 15, 2013 at 11:01 PM
I dispatched 911 for over 22 years and I really thought I'd hard everything! Un-freaking-believable!!!!!!
January 16, 2013 at 6:03 AM
I wonder if anyone checked to make sure ALL of her kids are accounted for? Hard to believe there would be only 1.
January 16, 2013 at 11:11 AM
This is ridiculous…I would love to know the truth of how something like this can happen. God was with that little boy. Thank you Lord for keeping him safe !
February 6, 2013 at 9:14 PM
Shouldn't the father be just as accountable?
March 17, 2013 at 5:53 AM
Car owners that are Second theres 55 yrs . old and slightly older could take a crash protection program in order to be considered lesser fees.