Lockport Heights Woman Charged in 2024 Death of Daughter

Joliet police announced on Monday that they have arrested Colette Bancroft, a 37-year-old resident of Lockport Heights, on charges of involuntary manslaughter. Bancroft is accused of unintentionally causing the death of her 12-year-old daughter, Mya King, in April 2024. The arrest followed a review of medical records and toxicology findings by the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Bancroft was taken into custody last Saturday at a McDonald's restaurant in Lockport. In addition to involuntary manslaughter, she faces charges of endangering the life or health of a child and unlawful possession of a controlled substance. Joliet Police Sgt. Dwayne English said detectives obtained a warrant for her arrest on Nov. 5 after evaluating additional evidence.

The incident began in 2024 when officers responded to a report of an unresponsive girl on the 1500 block of East Washington Street in Joliet. Mya was found in a bedroom on the second floor of the residence. English stated that the preliminary investigation indicated Mya had ingested an unknown amount of suspected heroin and fentanyl. The girl was discovered unresponsive by her mother, and other people in the home called 911.

Officers provided medical assistance to Mya until paramedics arrived. She was initially transported to Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox and later moved to Ann and Robert Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago. Mya died on April 17, 2024. During the initial investigation, officers found suspected heroin and fentanyl in Bancroft’s purse. She was taken into custody on probable cause of possession of a controlled substance, but no formal charges were filed at that time.

A report from the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office dated Oct. 19, 2024, certified the manner of death as undetermined. Assistant Medical Examiner Claire Sorensen noted that a urine screen was positive for fentanyl, while postmortem toxicology on blood samples was negative for all substances tested. Sorensen wrote that it was unclear why the blood samples tested negative, but noted that police and hospital findings still supported a drug overdose as the cause of death.

The medical examiner’s report included statements from family members who lived with Mya. They reported that Mya had suffered from depression, smoked marijuana, and sometimes cut her forearms. The report stated there was concern that Mya may have taken some of her mother’s drugs. Sorensen also noted that Bancroft admitted to a history of drug abuse and had multiple baggies of white powdery substance and a crack pipe in her purse in the bedroom.

English said the decision to file charges came after detectives completed their review of the evidence. The charges allege that Bancroft obtained the substances and failed to prevent her daughter’s exposure to the fentanyl, a violation that was a proximate cause of Mya’s death.