Home Alone In Joliet: Police Officers Respond To Birch Apartments Where Woman Was Arrested

JOLIET, IL — About a half dozen times every year, the Joliet Police Department makes a home alone arrest against an adult who stands accused of intentionally leaving their children to fend for themselves. Such a situation unfolded in recent days.

According to police spokesman Dwayne English, on July 10, at 10:25 a.m., officers responded to an apartment building in the 2300 block of White Birch Lane following a report of two young children who appeared to be unattended with no parent around.

English said the responding officers located the two boys, ages 3 and 1, alone outside the building. Officers quickly identified the apartment where the children resided and conducted a welfare check.

Inside the apartment, officers found two additional boys, ages 8 and 6, asleep and unsupervised.

No adults were present. During the welfare check, officers observed the apartment to be in poor condition.

All four children were taken into protective custody and transported by the Joliet Fire Department to Saint Joseph Medical Center for medical evaluations. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) was notified, and a representative responded to the
hospital, English revealed.

"As the investigation continued, the children's mother, Annette Ngoya, 39, Joliet, returned to the apartment approximately one hour after officers initially responded and was taken into custody," English announced.

He said that Ngoya was charged with four counts of endangering the life or health of a child. She was
processed at the Joliet Police Department and later released with a Notice to Appear in court. All four children were placed into the protective custody of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.