An Elyria woman is facing charges after her children were left home alone and were reported to police after being accused of damaging their neighbor’s vehicle with hammers, according to a police report.
At 10:45 a.m., Aug. 15, Elyria police were called to a residence on Ridge Circle.
The resident told police that his sedan was damaged the previous day with a hammer by three to four children who were his neighbors, the report stated.
The vehicle had cracks in the windshield and the glass on the mirrors were damaged and removed from the vehicle, according to the report.
The resident told officers he spoke to the children’s mother shortly after the incident and she agreed to pay for the damages after her child had admitted to her that the youngster was responsible for the damage, the report stated.
The report noted the children reportedly were unsupervised and home alone in the past.
When police went to speak with the woman, they were greeted by her children, but she was not home, the report stated.
The children provided the police with a telephone number to reach their mother at the Cleveland Clinic Main Campus, where she works, the report stated.
The woman told police she believed it was legal to leave the children home alone after she researched the law and could not locate a specific age limit for when children could be left alone, the report stated.
She also told police that a family friend “occasionally” checks on the children when she is away, the report stated.
The woman pleaded with the officer to reach her friend to watch her children for the remainder of the day, according to the report.
The officer attempted to contact the woman numerous times, but couldn’t reach her, the report stated.
“At this point, (the mother) appeared as if she was not going to be willing and, or able, to return home to watch over her children,” according to the report.
The officers then contact staff from the Lorain County Children’s Services who arrived on scene and the woman was contacted again and instructed to return home, the report stated.
The woman was issued a citation on a charge of endangering children, according to the report.
