Children Found Alone In Dollar Store Before Mother's Arrest

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago Police released new information Tuesday in the case of a 31-year-old woman facing charges after her three young children were found living in squalid conditions on May 19 at their home in the Albany Park neighborhood.

Police records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request from CBS show Maria Cortez's three young children were found wandering alone at a Dollar General store on Pulaski Road before police later discovered the family was living in squalid conditions.

Cortez was charged this month with three misdemeanor counts of child endangerment, according to Chicago Police.

Hours before police discovered deplorable conditions in the home where Cortez lived with her kids--ages 3, 5, and 7--a dollar store shopper called police after seeing the children wandering the store without an adult, according to the police report. The kids told police their mother was at work.

When officers arrived at the home on Chicago's northwest side on the 5000 block of North Harding, Cortez wasn't there.

Officers did, however, discover rotting food, garbage and rodent droppings throughout the house--which didn't have working electricity or smoke/fire alarms, police said.

Cortez came home with her 10-year-old child a few hours after police arrived. She was arrested and the kids were taken to Swedish Covenant Hospital for evaluations, police said. They were in good condition.

The kids were turned over to their father, who was not charged, police said.

Cortez, who has no prior criminal history, was released on a recognizance bond, police said. Her next court date was set for July 10.