Woodridge woman charged for endangering children

A Woodridge woman has been charged with two counts of endangering the life of a child after a religious shrine in her apartment caught fire while two children were in the apartment alone, police officials said.

Sunitha Budithi, 38, of the 6000 block of Double Eagle Drive, was out of the apartment moving her car from one apartment complex to another when an open flame ignited some combustible materials inside a hallway closet early Thursday morning, said Woodridge Police spokeswoman Kate Croteau.

The woman is free on bond from the DuPage County jail, officials said.

Croteau said Budithi started a candle in the shrine that was situated in the closet, then left the two children under the age of 10 to move a car from one parking lot to another.

While the woman was gone, the flame touched off the at about 7:40 a.m., Croteau said.

The two girls were rescued in the apartment by firefighters from the Lisle-Woodridge Fire Department and taken to Edward Hospital in Naperville, where they were treated for smoke inhalation and released.

The relationship between Budithi and the two girls is unknown at this time, Croteau said.

It’s unclear at this time when Budithi is due back in court, Croteau said.