A Joliet woman was arrested after she was accused of leaving her three children at a residence while she was at a liquor store to purchase alcohol, police said.

At 8:21 p.m. on Friday, an 8-year-old boy had flagged down officers in the 100 block of Fourth Avenue and told them he did not know where his mother was, Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English said.

Officers knocked at the door of this child’s residence and located a 5-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy, English said.

The officers determined all three children were siblings, English said.

The children told the officers their mother – Janette Zavala, 24, of Joliet – had gone to the gas station, English said. Officers stood by with the children for about 15 minutes until Zavala returned home, he said.

Zavala indicated to the officers that she went to the liquor store to purchase alcohol, English said.

Zavala was arrested and her children were released to their father, English said. The officers also notified the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services of the incident.

Zavala was arrested on probable cause of endangering the life or health of a child and released on her own recognizance. She is scheduled for an Oct. 18 hearing at the Will County Courthouse regarding her arrest.