2 Little Kids Left In Car, Mom Visits Crow's Nest Bar: JPD

JOLIET, IL — Kimberly Wells, a 36-year-old mother from Lockport, drove to Joliet's Crows Nest Tavern and left her two children, ages 2 and 3, inside her car with all the windows rolled up, according to Joliet police.

On Tuesday night, officers were called to the 1400 block of North Center Street for a welfare check and eventually found the Crow's Nest Tavern patron.

Following questioning, Wells was put in handcuffs and taken to the Joliet police station for booking. She has been charged with two counts of endangering the life and safety of a child. The incident happened around 7:35 p.m.

"Officers learned that a resident had located two young male children, ages 2 and 3, left unattended in a vehicle parked on the street," police spokesman Dwayne English notified Joliet Patch.

He said the vehicle 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 noted.

He said that the children were let out of the vehicle and while Joliet police officers were with the children, Wells exited the Crow’s Nest bar across the street and identified herself as the children’s mother.

"Wells had been inside the bar for at least 30 minutes. Wells was placed into custody without incident. The Department of Child and Family Services was notified. The children were placed under the care of another family member," English announced.

Wells was not taken to the Will County Jail. She was released on an I-bond because child endangerment is a misdemeanor, not a felony offense.

In Lockport, Wells lives in the 300 block of Dellwood Avenue, Joliet police arrest logs show.