Chicago cops spread holiday cheer after 3 kids found living in deplorable conditions

FOX 32 NEWS - Three young girls were found starving and alone last month in an abandoned house on the South Side. They’re being called the “Englewood Angels."

But that name could also apply to a group of Chicago Police officers who have taken the children under their wing.

Delores Anderson says she was stunned when she got the call from police last month. Her three granddaughters, ages one, two and seven, whom she hadn't seen in months, were found in the worst conditions imaginable.

"The police called me and let me know they had them at the hospital and was I their grandmother? And I told them yes,” Anderson said.

Chicago Police discovered the girls in early November living alone in an abandoned house in the Englewood neighborhood. Pictures taken by police show the girls were sleeping on a dirty mattress, using the bathtub as a toilet.

There was little food in the house and no heat or power.

"Disgusting. My babies was filthy. Nasty. You could tell they hadn't eaten in a couple days,” Anderson said.

Police later found Delores' son and charged him with child endangerment, and DCFS placed the children in Delores' care.

But at a time when police are often disparaged, the officers of the seventh district didn't just walk away.

"I think the fact that there were children involved. There were multiple children involved,” said Lt. Eve Gushes.

Gushes says officers took it upon themselves to follow up and buy food, diapers, clothes, toys, furniture and even a Christmas tree for the family.

One officer used his 12-hundred dollar overtime check to buy gift cards for the girls.

"I looked at the gift card amount and said this is your whole overtime check. And the officer replied yes, but don't tell anybody. So our officers are extremely generous. They do a lot of things on their own and it's very quiet. And I don't think the public knows that very often,” Lt. Guishes said.

Another officer on his own time set up a GoFundMe account for the children, which so far has raised over one-hundred thousand dollars for food and a bigger apartment.

While FOX 32 was there, off-duty officer Renee Beamon stopped by to help out.

"Because we have humanity. A lot of people tend to forget that about us. But we're people. We're humans too,” Beamon said.

"They've been a blessing. I mean a blessing to me. They come and they check on me. They check on the girls to see if they need anything,” Anderson added.

"When I say these are angels God is sending me, these are angels God is sending me,” Anderson said.

The oldest child, who turns eight on Thursday, had never been enrolled in school until last week. Police will be throwing her a birthday party at the seventh district this weekend.