Antioch man charged with child endangerment after naked man call

A 33-year-old Antioch man has been charged with child endangerment and numerous other offenses after Antioch police answered multiple calls of a naked man running through the parking lots of businesses while carrying two naked children.

Miguel A. Gasca-Ledesma of the 1200 block of Main Street was charged with two counts of endangering the life of a child, aggravated domestic battery, domestic battery, aggravated assault, resisting a police officer and disorderly conduct, officials said in a news release.

About 7 p.m. Friday, Antioch police responding to initial calls to the parking lots in the 300 block of West Route 173 received additional 911 calls that the man was running in the middle of Route 173, still carrying the young children.

Officers confronted the man in the parking lot of a hotel at 350 W. Rte. 173, where he refused to comply with police commands, police said. After a brief struggle, the man was taken into custody.

The man was taken to a hospital for evaluation. The children, ages 2 and 3, also were taken to a hospital as a precautionary measure.

During the investigation, Antioch officers detected an overpowering, unidentified chemical odor at an apartment in the 1200 block of Main Street. Emergency personnel evacuated the apartment complex and closed Main Street (Route 83) between Route 173 and Grimm Road while the Antioch Fire Department conducted a hazardous materials investigation. No hazardous materials were found.

After Gasca-Ledesma was released from the hospital, he was charged. In Lake County bond court Saturday, he was ordered held in jail on $150,000 bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 6.

The two children were treated and released and later turned over to their mother.

The fire department was assisted in the hazmat investigation by the Lake Villa and Grayslake Fire Departments.