A Round Lake Beach woman has been arrested for child endangerment and drug charges after a boy was found unresponsive near Richmond and died Wednesday.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, Richmond Township Fire Protection District and Mercyhealth MD-1 responded around 10:50 a.m. Wednesday to the 9600 block of Hillandale Road in unincorporated Richmond.
Sheriff’s officials said the call was for a medical emergency involving an unresponsive juvenile male.
911 dispatchers indicated over the radio that someone was performing CPR on the juvenile, a 14-year-old.
Fire officials said paramedics initiated lifesaving treatment and were assisted by Mercyhealth MD-1.
Paramedics rushed the juvenile to Northwestern Medicine Hospital in McHenry where he was pronounced dead.
“The Richmond Township Fire Protection District expresses our sorrow and condolences to the family,” the fire district said.
The sheriff’s office announced Thursday afternoon that charges had been brought against Cara Ullrich, 45, Round Lake Beach, as part of the investigation.
Ullrich was charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance and two counts of child endangerment.
She was also wanted on failure to appear warrants for 2020 charges of domestic battery and violation of an order of protection and a 2021 charge for aggravated battery.
A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court said Ullrich possessed under 200 grams of a substance containing fentanyl and under 15 grams of a substance containing cocaine.
The complaint said Ullrich endangered the lives of two children — a 14-year-old boy and a 13-year-old boy.
Ullrich allegedly brought drugs, containing fentanyl, into the residence in the 9600 block of Hillandale Road in unincorporated Richmond accessible to the children, who were present in the home.
Sheriff’s officials did not provide further information on whether they believe the child died from an overdose or something unrelated.
“The investigation remains ongoing, and more information will be released as it becomes available,” the sheriff’s office said.
The McHenry County Coroner’s Office responded and conducted an autopsy Thursday. Those results were not immediately released.
Ullrich is being held in the McHenry County Jail pending First Appearance Court Friday afternoon.