Fox Lake father faces charges for locking children in car

A Fox Lake man is scheduled to appear in court next month to face charges he left two of his children locked inside his Jeep while shopping in Schaumburg.

William S. Lepage, 40, of 8238 Goldenrod Court, was charged this week with endangering the life of a child after police said they found two of kids, ages 6 and 8, sweating inside the vehicle.

Police were alerted to the situation in a parking lot on the 400 block of East Golf Road at about 5 p.m. Wednesday by a woman walking by.

Schaumburg police said when they got to the Jeep, they found the two kids inside, with the doors locked and the windows rolled up.

When the kids opened the door to the Jeep, police said heat could be felt coming from inside. Police said one of the boys was found dripping with sweat.

The outside temperature when the children were found was 83 degrees, police said.

Police did not say how long the kids had been inside the car when they were found.

The boys told police that their father was inside the store shopping, authorities said.

The father was paged, came outside and was taken into custody.

Lepage was released on $1,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 17.

Schaumburg police said the Department of Children and Family Services was contacted and agreed that the children could be released into their father's custody. DCFS officials said an investigation into the incident has been opened.