Woman left young son in car outside Stratford Square Mall, police say

BLOOMINGDALE, Ill. (WLS) -- The mother of a young boy faces charged for leaving her son inside a locked car outside Stratford Square Mall in west suburban Bloomingdale, police said.

Bloomingdale Director of Public Safety Frank Giammarese said officers responded to a call about an unresponsive child in a vehicle around 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Officers found a boy, between 2 and 3 years old, inside a running car in a parking lot at the mall. He had been in the vehicle for about 30 minutes, Giammarese said.

Police used a tool to get inside the vehicle and get him out safely. The boy is going to be OK. Giammarese said he was released to a relative.

When the mother came back to her car, she was arrested and charged with misdemeanor child neglect.

The woman posted bond and was released, Giammarese said. She will be due in court at a future date.