Mom left toddler son alone in home for 20 hours before a fire trapped him in a basement and killed him: cops

An Illinois mother allegedly left her 4-year-old son alone for some 20 hours while she cleaned houses with her boyfriend before a fire broke out in her home and killed the boy.

Aliannay P. Rodriguez, 21, stands accused of involuntary manslaughter, child endangerment causing death and child abandonment in the death of Christopher Alfaro-Rodriguez, the Mundelein Police Department said in a press release obtained by Law&Crime.

The fire department responded around 12:21 a.m. on March 23 to a fire at a home in the 200 block of Dalton Avenue. Crews were met with heavy smoke and flames on three sides of the one-story home. Rodriguez and another person alerted officials that the 4-year-old boy was still inside.

Firefighters searched for the boy but could not find him. They tried to conduct a second search, but the flames and a hallway in danger of collapsing blocked them.

Crews found the boy dead in the basement after they put out the fire. He had died of smoke inhalation. An electrical issue caused the fire, cops said.

Rodriguez initially claimed she left the boy briefly to go get some food. But investigators say they found evidence that proved otherwise.

"Mundelein investigators were able to obtain video evidence, location data and witness statements that determined Alianny worked for a cleaning service and had not been at the house for approximately 20 hours," the press release said.

Another person who lived in the home said he left the previous morning and saw the child but did not know he was left alone, per cops.

According to a courtroom report from the Lake & McHenry County Scanner, Rodriguez was working with her boyfriend, who was contracted to clean several homes that day.

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Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart told the outlet that it was a "tragic case."

"I call on everyone to pay attention as to whether small children are being left at home by neighbors and friends. I want to thank the Mundelein Police Department for their excellent investigation into this difficult case. The offender's extremely reckless actions led to the criminal charge of Involuntary Manslaughter, and she will face up to 14 years in prison," Rinehart said.

Rodriguez was arrested on Thursday and taken to the Lake County Jail. A judge reportedly denied the state's request to detain her until trial. Her next court date is set for Aug. 27.

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