A Chicago homeowner is shocked that her adult son threw a wild party in Chicago – ignoring social distancing – as she worked a long shift as a first respondent.
READ MORE: Viral video shows countless people defy social distancing, revel at jam-packed Chicago house party
NBC5 got an exclusive interview with the woman who chose to keep her identity anonymous for fear that her job could be jeopardized. However, she wanted to make it known that she had no prior knowledge of a raging house party that went viral over the weekend. It ended up all over social media and with the police citing the gathering on Monday.
“I was astounded when I saw the video,” the homeowner told NBC 5 Tuesday.
She had not been aware of the party until the cops arrived hours later after she’d returned home from a 24-hour shift.
“I came home, my house was clean, nothing was out of place,” she said. “And after that, some police came to my house and said, ‘Were you aware that it was a party at your house?’ And I was like, ‘No, I wasn’t aware.’ And then they showed me the video.”
The homeowner went on to say that she hadn’t seen her family in weeks due to social distancing, especially since her profession puts her at increased risk.
“I haven’t seen my family in two months because I don’t want.. because of my job I don’t want to expose them to anything,” she said. “So if I’m doing social distancing, then I most definitely don’t condone this type of behavior.”
Janeal Wright, 26, said that he knew his mother wouldn’t be home and invited 20 to 30 people. However, that number soon swelled into numbers close to 200.
“With us being young, us being millennials, like the mayor said, we didn’t really know how severe this was,” he said. “It really hasn’t been hitting home for us like that, but now I see the error of everything.”
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot was not pleased with the party and blasted those who participated in it.
READ MORE: Chicago businessman says his PPE supplies were turned down by officials
“They put themselves at risk, but not only that, every single person there who put themselves at risk puts the next person and the next person that they come into contact with at risk,” she said. “That’s why, for me, that scene is so distressing.”
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