No Criminal Charges Over Girl Left at Chuck E. Cheese

Police will not criminally charge the mother of a young girl found abandoned at a North Side Chuck E. Cheese restaurant late Saturday.

The girl, who answered to the name of "Kayla" and looked to be about 2 years old, was found at the Chuck E. Cheese at 1830 W. Fullerton Ave. about 10:30 p.m. Saturday, police said.

There may have been a misunderstanding between the girl’s aunt and her mother about who the child would go home with.

The mother apparently thought the girl was going to sleep over at the aunt’s house, according to police News Affairs Officer Robert Perez.  It wasn’t immediately clear which of the two women were at Chuck E. Cheese with the girl.

The girl’s mother reached out to police after the girl’s aunt contacted her when she saw coverage about the girl being found.

The girl, who could not provide any information other than her first name to police, was turned over to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services after police found her.

DCFS was investigating, spokesman Jimmie Whitelow said.

A Chuck E. Cheese spokeswoman said their "Kid Check" program, which has been in place for 15 years, is designed to help families make sure everyone who comes together leaves together.