5-year-old boy dies at Richton Park daycare
RICHTON PARK, Ill. (CBS) – A boy went to daycare in the suburbs, but never made it home.
Police area waiting autopsy reports to learn how 5-year-old Anthony Pearson died. CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot reported on his death from Richton Park.
"We want to send out our heartfelt condolences to the family," said Richton Park Police Demitrous Cook.
"It was a solemn day here, after that," Cook added. "We all have kids and when we see a kid in distress, no matter whose child it is, it brings a certain emotion out and we're dealing with our personnel on that level."
On Tuesday morning, Richton Park police arrived first on the scene when they were called to the Little Dreamers Daycare, after Pearson was found unresponsive in the house.
"Officers performed CPR on the scene, until fire paramedics arrived," said Cook.
Paramedics brought the child to Franciscan Health Olympia Fields, where he was pronounced dead.
In a Facebook post, the child's mother, Tiffany Pearson, said she left her child in the care of a woman at a daycare at a home. She wrote that she never knew it would be the last time she kissed and hugged her son goodbye.
Pearson said her son has autism and epilepsy. She said the woman caring for her son told police she strapped the five year old in a car seat inside her house, so she could take a 20 to 30-minue shower.
In the Facebook post, Pearson said "By the time she was finished, he was unresponsive."
CBS 2 checked records and neither the woman, Little Dreamers, or the home address come up in a licensed daycare provider search. You need to have a license if you care for more than eight children in your home but it's unclear how many children were cared for at Little Dreamers each day.
Le Mignot tried to reach the daycare operator at the house, but instead of answering she called police.
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services said they have had prior contact with someone who cares for children at the daycare but wouldn't give further details.