At approximately 7:35 p.m., deputies with the Will County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a bar located in the 1800 block of East Washington Street in Joliet Township following a report of an abandoned child.

Upon arrival, deputies located a toddler inside the establishment who had avisible injury to the upper lip. A concerned citizen on scene informed deputies that the child’s father had entered the bar earlier and asked patrons to watch his child. Fearing for the child’s safety, the citizen agreed to care for the child and immediately called 911.

The witness further reported that the child had dried blood on their face, which they had cleaned prior to deputies arriving. Deputies later reviewed photos taken earlier in the day that showed blood around the child’s nose and mouth. Witnesses and the child alleged that the injuries were the result of the father kicking the child.

Medical care was provided on scene to the child by the East Joliet Fire Protection District.

Approximately 90 minutes after leaving the child, the father returned to the bar. Deputies took 45-year-old Steven W. Canady, of Lockport, into custody without incident. He was transported to the Will County Adult Detention Facility and is facing the following preliminary charges:
Child Abandonment (Felony)
Domestic Battery (Misdemeanor)
Endangering the Life or Health of a Child (Misdemeanor)
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) was notified, and the child was safely released to relatives.

This incident remains under investigation.