Ex-owner of ‘Home Alone’ house charged with possession of child sexual abuse material

Lake Forest police arrested John Abendshien, author and previous owner of the “Home Alone” house in Winnetka, on Thursday, April 16, for allegedly possessing child sexual abuse material, according to a press release from the Lake Forest Police Department.

Abendshien, who reportedly was apprehended at his home on the 100 block of Morris Lane in Lake Forest, lived in the iconic home when the movie was filmed in 1990 and through 2012. He published a memoir, “Home, But Alone No More,” in 2025 about the filming, a story that The Record covered.

Abendshien was the subject of an Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigation after police received tips that an online account linked to Abendshien had possessed and distributed child sexual abuse material.

Police executed an arrest warrant April 16, discovered electronic evidence at the residence and arrested Abendshien, the release says.

“These cases are deeply concerning and we are committed to aggressively investigating and prosecuting those involved” Lake Forest Police Chief John Burke in a statement, adding that the department will continue to work with “our law enforcement partners in order to protect children and ensure community safety.”

Abendshien was charged with seven felony counts of possessing child sexual abuse material. A Lake County judge on Friday, April 17, granted Abendshien a conditional release, despite the department’s petition to detain.

Abendshien’s memoir, “Home, but Alone No More,” recalled his experiences after giving the home to the 1990 blockbuster movie, “Home Alone.” The book dives into the upending of Abendshien’s quaint, family life in Winnetka by the chaos of the movie.

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