Franklin County authorities are investigating after they found a partially naked woman wandering in a field with two young children.
Franklin County Sheriff David Bartoni says deputies responded around 3:30 p.m. Aug. 27 to a call of a vehicle abandoned at a residence in rural Royalton. Upon arrival, deputies located the vehicle and suspected by items left at the scene that small children may have been present. Deputies were unable to locate the driver or children.
Deputies began an immediate search of the area and requested the assistance of the Franklin County Emergency Management Agency, which responded to the scene with a drone to assist in the search.
At about 6:30 p.m., a passing motorist informed deputies she had observed a partially nude female walking in a field with two small children.
Deputies responded to the location, and all three were subsequently transported to the hospital for medical attention. The ages of the children are 6 months and 3 years old. The identities are not being released.
An investigation is being conducted by the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, and the Franklin County States Attorney's Office.
