Zaraz Walker News Today

Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday announced a new leader for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, shifting a veteran youth justice practitioner who oversees the state’s juvenile detention system to head the troubled child welfare agency. Heidi Mueller, who has been director of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice since 2016, was chosen to head DCFS following a national ...

The whereabouts of the body of an infant who was reported missing in February remained a mystery Thursday after the infant’s mother was acquitted of concealing a death, based on her mental condition at the time the baby died.

I’Kera Hill, 3, died of malnutrition and dehydration at a Carbondale hospital on June 22, according to the child endangerment charges filed in Jackson County against her parents, Isaac Hill

By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – I’Kera Hill, 3, died of malnutrition and...

Amaria Osby’s friends and family were to gather Tuesday, not to celebrate her eighth birthday, but to attend her funeral. Andrea Hagler, Amaria’s mother, won’t be there. She is charged with the first-degree murder of her daughter.

In Rica Rountree's case, mandated reporters alerted the state’s child welfare agency of potential serious abuse. They sounded the alarm bell repeatedly, only to have those alarms ignored or not thoroughly investigated by the agency tasked with doing so. Instead, the investigator who mishandled Rica’s case was promoted.

Visit followed 60-day period in which agency failed to contact the family

A timeline provided by DCFS showed that a DCFS investigator failed to contact Amaria Osby’s parents for two months after receiving a hotline call that the girl was being neglected.

Amaria Osbys friends and family were to gather Tuesday, not to celebrate her 8th birthday, but to attend her funeral. Andrea Hagler, Amarias mother, wont be there. She is charged with the first-degree murder of her daughter.

The weekly docket for children who are wards of the state and waiting for placements recommended by the Department of Children and Family Services after an assessment of their needs took place as scheduled Thursday in Cook County.