Story By: Michael Leidig, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News

CEN/@terrica.ItsTheRespectLevel

Chicago police have tracked down and charged a woman whose son secretly had a massive house party despite the coronavirus lockdown.

Images shot at the packed party were widely condemned with the city’s mayor Lori Lightfoot going on Twitter to condemn those who ignored advice to stay home to attend the party on the west side of the city.

One person who attended spoke to local media saying that together with the people in the yard it was about a thousand who were packed in, and she admitted it was hot and muggy. However police said it was more like around 150 people.

The partygoer, 23, said that all of those who attended were not worried about contracting the coronavirus adding: “I’m not worried about (the coronavirus) … but if I didn’t have it before, I probably have it now. Oh well.”

CEN/@terrica.ItsTheRespectLevel

Police gave the woman that owned the house citations after the video went viral showing dozens of people crammed inside despite the “stay-at-home” order. When officers arrived there were still around 50 people at the property who were ordered to leave.

The woman who owned the property had a video doorbell which would normally have notified her of large numbers of people arriving, but her son had apparently disconnected it so that she wouldn’t realise how many people were turning up. It was not revealed where she was when the party took place.

The gathering had reportedly been organised in honour of someone who recently died.

The mayor said: “I have seen the video which shows what appears to be a house party taking place inside a Chicago residence. What was depicted in the video was reckless and utterly unacceptable.”

The video posted online by Facebook user Tink Purcell contains graphic language and has not edited. It had been shared more than 60,000 times and been viewed more than 1.3 million times in less than 24 hours.

Chicago Department of Public Health are reportedly evaluating the situation and are prepared to test all partygoers should signs of a coronavirus infection become apparent.

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