Lost boy leads to mom's arrest

A Carpentersville woman is facing a child endangerment charge after police said she lost track of one of her children while in a Hoffman Estates business and drove off without him.

Brandy S. Allen, 26, of 406 Blackhawk Drive, was charged with endangering the life of a child after police said she left her three children -- ages 5, 2 and 7 months -- alone in her van Tuesday while she was inside a business on the 2300 block Barrington Road.

While Allen was gone, police said, the 5-year-old got out of the van and wandered into the building.

Allen returned to the car and drove home to Carpentersville, police said, without ever realizing her son was not in the van.

Hoffman Estates Lt. Rich Russo said someone inside the business found the boy crying and contacted police.

About 25 minutes after police arrived on the scene, Russo said the mother returned to the business to retrieve the boy. She was then taken into custody.

Allen was released on a $1,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in a Rolling Meadows courtroom on Dec. 26.