Child Dangles Off Balcony, Mother Faces Charges: New Lenox Police

NEW LENOX, IL — A New Lenox mother was charged Friday with endangering the health or life of a child and possession of a controlled substance after her daughter was found dangling from an apartment balcony, according to New Lenox Police Department records. Police did not release the age of the girl, who reportedly told a witness she ingested her mother's "special chocolate," which was later found to contain a hallucinogenic drug.

Police were dispatched at 11:41 p.m. Thursday to the residence of Melissa A. Abramowicz, 35, in the 1000 block of Shagbark Court, for a report of her daughter dangling from the second-story apartment balcony, according to NLPD records.

Police arrived to find that the girl's grandmother was attempting to "take my granddaughter ... home," according to additional NLPD records that were obtained by Patch via a Freedom of Information Act request.

The officer spoke with an unnamed witness, who told the officer that the girl told him that she had eaten some of Abramowicz's "special chocolate," according to NLPD records.

The officer spoke with Abramowicz and learned that the "special chocolate" was an edible infused with psilocybin, according to NLPD records. Psilocybin is a hallucinogenic chemical obtained from certain types of fresh and dried mushrooms, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Police determined during the investigation into the incident that the chocolate, totaling 51.8 grams, did test positive for psilocybin, according to NLPD records.

The girl was taken to Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox for testing and was later released into the care of her grandparents, according to NLPD records. Abramowicz was later arrested and taken to the Will County Adult Detention Facility.

Abramowicz was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday. Patch has reached out to Abramowicz's attorney on record with the court for comment on Abramowicz's current status, but has not received a response.

Abramowicz is facing a Class 4 felony for the possession of a controlled substance charge, and is facing a Class A misdemeanor charge of endangering the health or life of a child charge.