Father in custody; 3-year-old found alone outside called 'exceptionally lucky'

The father of a 3-year-old girl found wandering alone Tuesday night near a forest preserve in Prospect Heights is in custody today as police investigate child abandonment allegations.

The Cook County sheriff's office expects criminal charges to be filed against the Lake County man, said sheriff's spokeswoman Cara Smith.

DCFS spokeswoman Veronica Resa confirmed Wednesday that the agency also is investigating the girl's father on allegations of neglect. Resa said DCFS had not had any prior contact with the family.

Smith said the girl, identified as Aliya, is lucky to be alive.

“She was walking down Milwaukee Avenue crying and waving her arms,” Smith said. “Three good Samaritans stopped, and thank God they did because it's a busy street. She's just exceptionally lucky.”

The girl was found about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday uninjured and with no visible signs of abuse, police said, but they don't know how long she had been outside.

Police distributed her photo and information to the media looking for tips. Overnight, a friend of the girl's mother came forward to identify her, Smith said.

Aliya was taken into the custody of DCFS, who placed her with a family member — not her parents — while the agency and Cook County sheriff's police investigate. Smith said she is not aware of any other children being removed from the family's home.

Smith said the family is from Lake County but would not say which suburb because the investigation is ongoing.

She couldn't remember a similar child abandonment case in recent history.

“It's very, very rare and could have been much more tragic of an outcome,” Smith said.