Mother Charged After Boy, 4, Left Alone Dies In House Fire: Prosecutors

LAKE COUNTY, IL — A 21-year-old Lakemoor woman has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, child endangerment causing death and child abandonment after authorities said she left her 4-year-old son home alone for about 20 hours before a fatal house fire in Mundelein.

Investigators allege Aliannay P. Rodriguez left the child alone at a home on Dalton Avenue before the March 23 fire. Video and location evidence led investigators to conclude the boy had been left unattended for 20 hours, despite Rodriguez initially telling police she had only been gone about 20 minutes, according to the Lake & McHenry County Scanner.

Investigators determined she'd been away from the home, working alongside her boyfriend at multiple businesses where he had been contracted to provide cleaning services, according to the article.

The blaze broke out shortly after midnight on March 23. By the time firefighters arrived, the home was fully engulfed in flames, according to WGN-TV. The child was found in the basement of the home.

The boy, who has been identified as Christopher Alfaro-Rodriguez, 4, was pronounced dead at the scene. Preliminary results from an autopsy she he died from smoke inhalation.

Venkat Murali, a neighbor to the home on Dalton Avenue, was watching TV when the fire broke out, the Daily Herald is reporting. He went outside with other neighbors to see what was going on and saw someone go into the home before firefighters arrived.

“They’re great people and it’s really unfortunate,” he said. “Everyone is visibly shaken up around here.”

Following the blaze, village officials in Mundelein extended their "deepest condolences" to those "affected by this devastating loss."

The full statement, posted on the village's Facebook page, read:

The village is deeply saddened by the tragic house fire that occurred last evening which resulted in loss of such a young life. Our hearts go out to all those affected by this devastating loss and we extend our deepest condolences during this incredibly difficult time. The Village would like to thank all our first responders who worked tirelessly at the scene, their professionalism and dedication is deeply appreciated. As a community, we stand together in support of all those impacted and ask that the public to keep them in their thoughts. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and additional information will be released as it becomes available.