Joliet police remove four children after apartment welfare check on White Birch Lane

JOLIET — Joliet police say four young children were taken into protective custody after officers discovered them unattended inside and outside an apartment on White Birch Lane on the morning of July 10.

What officers found

According to a Joliet Police Department statement, officers arrived at an apartment building in the 2300 block of White Birch Lane at approximately 10:25 a.m. after a report that two small children appeared to be left alone outside the building. Responding officers located two boys — ages 3 and 1 — unattended outdoors and identified the unit where they lived.

During a welfare check inside the apartment, police say they found two additional children, ages 8 and 6, sleeping without adult supervision. The department described the interior as being in poor condition.

Medical evaluation and child protective action

All four boys were transported by the Joliet Fire Department to Saint Joseph Medical Center for evaluation. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services was notified and a DCFS representative responded to the hospital, police reported. The department later took the children into protective custody.

• Date of incident: July 10
• Location: 2300 block, White Birch Lane, Joliet
• Children involved: four boys, ages 1, 3, 6, 8
• Medical facility: Saint Joseph Medical Center
• Agencies involved: Joliet Police Department, Joliet Fire Department, DCFS

Arrest and charges

Police identified the children's mother as Annette Ngoya, 39, of Joliet. Officers report that she returned to the apartment about one hour after their initial response and was arrested. Ngoya was charged with four counts of endangering the life or health of a child. She was processed at the Joliet Police Department and released with a Notice to Appear in court, the department said.

“All four children were placed into the protective custody of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services,” the department said in its statement.

Community context and next steps

Officials say incidents where adults are alleged to have left children alone occur in the city about half a dozen times a year. This case underscores the collaboration between city first responders and state child welfare authorities when minors’ safety is in question.

Residents with concerns about child safety are encouraged to report suspected neglect to local police or contact DCFS. The Joliet Police Department did not release additional details about the apartment’s condition or the children's medical findings; those matters remain part of an ongoing welfare investigation.

The department's spokesman, Dwayne English, provided the details in an official release. Further updates from police or DCFS may clarify the status of ongoing inquiries and any court proceedings tied to the charges.