The Hennepin County Attorney's Office filed a petition Wednesday to civilly commit as mentally ill the Brooklyn Park mother whose four children were placed into protective custody on Monday.

The mother called police about 3 a.m. Monday to report that her 11-year-old daughter had run away. While searching for the girl, officers found another child living in a nearby park, a third at a friend's house and a fourth at home in the bathroom. The missing girl was found by neighbors almost 12 hours after she was reported missing.

Another child, an 8-year-old boy, died at the same house last February. The boy's cause of death could not be determined.

The mother claimed to have seen maggots on her body and in the house. She became uncooperative and was taken to the hospital.

The civil petition was filed at the request of North Memorial Health Hospital, where the woman was taken on Monday.

The Star Tribune is not naming the family to protect the privacy of the children.

County Attorney Mike Freeman said the petition will allow the hospital to hold the woman until Monday. At that time, a hearing in the county's Mental Health Court will take place to see if there is cause to hold the woman until a trial date at the end of the week.

"While North Memorial is the petitioner, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office role is to protect her and the public from harm," Freeman said in a statement.

PAT PHEIFER