Chicago woman charged with leaving 4 children alone on New Year's Eve

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Chicago woman is facing child endangerment charges, after police said she left four kids – including an infant – home alone on New Year's Eve in the Austin neighborhood.

Police said, around 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, an 11-year-old boy waved down officers in the 4800 block of West Jackson Boulevard, and told them he'd been left home alone with three other children.

After failing to make contact with a guardian, officers took the four children – ages 11, 7, 4, and 1 – to West Suburban Medical Center as a precaution.

It is illegal under Illinois state law to leave children under age 14 home alone.  

Dominique Bishop-Smith, 29, has since been charged with four misdemeanor counts of child endangerment. Her relationship to the children is not clear.

She was released from custody ahead of trial, and ordered not to have any unlawful contact with the children. She is due back in court on Jan. 8.