Woman accused of falsely telling 911 husband had killed her children

A Lake County woman has been accused of falsely calling 911 to report her estranged husband had shot and killed her children.

Theresa Kennedy, 39, of the 25000 block of West Jersey Drive in an unincorporated area near Antioch, is charged with felony disorderly conduct — making a false 911 call.

Lake County 911 received a call at about 1:20 p.m. Friday. The caller said she was not at home, but had received a text from her eldest son saying he had arrived home and found a younger brother and sister shot and killed.

The caller went on to say she thought her eldest son also had been killed because the phone call was disconnected and she no longer could reach him. The caller indicated her ex-husband might be responsible, authorities said.

Sheriff’s deputies went to the scene and discovered the children were safe and in school. They found Kennedy is in a custody dispute with her ex-husband.

The state Department of Children and Family Services was notified, and the children were placed in their father’s custody.

Kennedy is free on pretrial release.