The unrelated incidents occurred Thursday, Friday and Saturday when temperatures exceeded 100 degrees at times.
Around 8:30 p.m. Thursday, police officers reportedly spotted a 2-year-old girl locked in a blue Trailblazer parked outside Sears at the Louis Joliet Mall.
Reports did not indicate whether or not the vehicle was running, but said the temperature was 95 degrees at the time.
"The child did not appear in distress, but officers used a slim-jim to unlock the vehicle," Chief Mike Trafton said. After being identified by registration, the girl's mother, Diana J. Tovalin, 22, was paged over the store intercom and taken into custody. Tovalin, of 722 Nicholson St., was cited for endangering the life or health of a child and the Department of Children and Family Services was notified about the incident.
At 11:37 a.m. Friday, two passersby reportedly noticed a 6-year-old child and a dog were left inside a running vehicle at Jewel, 2490 Route 59.
Neither was injured, but Jaime O. Cavazos, 21, did not return to the vehicle until ten minutes after officers were notified, Trafton said. Cavazos, of 2409 Oak Tree Lane in Plainfield, was also charged with endangering the life or health of a child.
At 4:51 p.m. Saturday, the temperature was over 100 degrees outside when a police officer drove through the parking lot of PetSmart, 2775 Plainfield Road.
"Through the back window of a Pontiac Bonneville, he could see two small chihuahuas were inside the vehicle which was not running and had all of the windows rolled up," Trafton said.
When Cheryl A. Fronczak, 30, of 21315 Prestwick Court in Crest Hill, came out of the store, she was cited for cruelty to animals.
An employee of Petsmart confirmed dogs are "absolutely" allowed to be brought inside the store.
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