CHICAGO — A Logan Square woman has been charged with murder, arson, and multiple counts of attempted murder after allegedly stabbing her three children and setting their family home on fire during a horrific Fourth of July attack, authorities said.
Wendy Tolbert, 45, was arrested at the scene on the 3600 block of West Palmer Street around 9:30 a.m. Thursday. Police say she stabbed all three of her children and locked them inside the house before setting it ablaze. Her 4-year-old son, identified as Jordan Wallace, was later pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital after suffering a stab wound to the chest.
Multiple Charges Filed
Tolbert was formally charged on Saturday with:
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One count of first-degree murder
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Two counts of attempted first-degree murder
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Six counts of aggravated arson
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Four counts of aggravated battery
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One count of aggravated battery to a child under 13 causing great bodily harm
According to police, Tolbert remained inside the burning home with a knife when officers arrived. One of the children was heard screaming for help from the basement window.
“We’re trying to get her out the window. I do see blood… The mother’s supposed to be upstairs with a knife,” a responding officer radioed from the scene.
Children Hospitalized in Critical Condition
Firefighters and police rescued the three children, all of whom were found with stab wounds:
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Jordan Wallace, 4, was stabbed in the chest and later died.
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His 10-year-old brother was stabbed in the arm and remains hospitalized in serious condition.
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Their 13-year-old sister suffered stab wounds to her face, chest, and back. She was listed in critical condition.
Three Chicago police officers who rushed into the burning home to save the children were treated for smoke inhalation. They were initially reported in fair condition.
Fire Spread and Neighboring Injuries
The fire spread quickly to an adjacent building, injuring two other people — a 31-year-old woman and a 34-year-old man — who were also treated at Stroger Hospital for smoke inhalation. Both were listed in fair condition.
Investigation and Court Hearing
Authorities, including agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, responded to the scene as part of the ongoing investigation. As of now, no motive for the attack has been publicly disclosed.
Tolbert is scheduled to appear for a detention hearing at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse on Sunday afternoon.
Were you in the Logan Square neighborhood when this tragic event occurred? Do you think more resources should be directed toward family crisis prevention in Chicago? Share your thoughts in the comments on ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com.
