A toddler found alone Monday evening on Chicago's West Side is now in a hospital as Chicago police work to figure out how the child ended up on the street and who left her there.
Officers were called around 7 p.m. to the 4300-block of West Van Buren Street, where they discovered a young girl believed to be about 2 to 3 years old. A woman was seen at the scene getting into a black SUV and driving away, and police say they still do not know whether she is connected to the child.
How the child was described
Police released a detailed description of the toddler and what she had with her. She was wearing a pink coat with maroon and yellow stripes, a pink Mickey Mouse sweater, pink Hello Kitty shoes, and carrying a pink adidas book bag. Inside the bag were diapers and an iPad with a pink case.
The girl was described as having brown hair in braids and brown eyes. She was taken to a local hospital for treatment, according to ABC7 Chicago.
Police say a woman left the child
Witness accounts shared with officers describe a woman leaving the girl on the block before getting into a black SUV. The woman was reported to be wearing a green sweater and a black-and-brown leopard-pattern scarf and then drove eastbound on Van Buren Street.
Investigators have not said whether they consider the woman a suspect, a relative, or simply a person they want to question. For now, they are treating the identity and relationship of the woman to the child as unknown.
Investigation ongoing
Chicago police say the investigation is active and ongoing, with detectives working to determine how the toddler ended up unattended and to confirm her identity and guardians.
Authorities have not announced any arrests. As reported by ABC7 Chicago, officers responded to the block Monday night and are now focused on tracking down the woman seen in the SUV and establishing the next steps for the child’s care.
