The mother of the little girl had apparently assumed her older children had put the toddler in the family van earlier that morning. The mother then dropped off her other children at her sister's home on her way to work, Lt. Paul Jaroscak said.

About 9 a.m. neighbors in an area near 8500 South and 1500 East heard a child screaming and crying and called police. Neighbors said the girl had been wailing for about an hour, Jaroscak said.

A deputy arrived at the home and found the girl alone in the gated backyard. He knocked at the home several times and then forced the front door open to make sure there wasn't a medical emergency, Jaroscak said.

About that time, the sister baby-sitting noticed the child was not at her home and called her sister. She then went to her sister's home where she met with the deputy and a member of the state Division of Child and Family Services.

DCFS later returned the child to her mother. Jaroscak said the mother did not intentionally leave the 2-year-old at home. No criminal charges are expected.

-Jason Bergreen