4-month-old Mount Prospect girl’s death prompts abuse probe

The Department of Children and Family Services and police are investigating the death of a 4-month-old Mount Prospect girl who died three days after she was found unresponsive at an unlicensed Hoffman Estates day care center.

Anna Belle Chung was unconscious and was not breathing when paramedics arrived at the day care center, which was run out of a private home, Wednesday morning, said Hoffman Estates Mayor Bill McLeod.

Chung was pronounced dead Saturday morning at 11:44 a.m. at Children’s Memorial Hospital, according to police.

McLeod said there were no obvious signs of trauma on the child. Police were called to the home Wednesday at 10:19 a.m. after paramedics were alerted of the unresponsive baby, according to authorities.

Police are investigating allegations of abuse, and an autopsy is scheduled for today.

A spokesman for DCFS said the day care center in the 4200 block of Crimson Drive was not a licensed day care home. The agency is investigating a day care provider in connection with Chung’s death. DCFS had prior contact with the provider in May 2010 as the result of an unfounded allegation of abuse, the spokesman said.

The 4-month-old girl was originally taken to St. Alexius Medical Center Wednesday morning, but was transferred to Children’s Memorial Hospital at 7 p.m. that night.

McLeod said he was not aware of any problems at the center in the past.

Daily Herald staff writer Marie Wilson contributed to this report