Posted inLocal News

Harvard mother convicted on charges after child found severely malnourished, within days of death

A judge has found a mother guilty of several charges after her 6-year-old child was found “severely malnourished” in Harvard in 2020 and doctors said he was possibly days from death. The Harvard Police Department and the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) responded on November 17, 2020, to the 100 block of Shawnee […]

Posted inLocal News

McHenry woman charged after allegedly violently shaking child, slapping her in face in McHenry

A McHenry woman has been indicted by a grand jury after court documents allege that she violently shook, slapped and pinched a young child family member in McHenry. Kelly M. Cooper, 37, of McHenry, was initially charged in May with domestic battery causing bodily harm and domestic battery physical contact. A grand jury reviewed the […]

Posted inLocal News

Father charged with aggressively rocking newborn baby side to side, causing serious injuries in Cary

Police say they arrested a Cary father accused of aggressively rocking his 4-week-old baby side to side, causing serious injuries that left the child in the intensive care unit. The Cary Police Department was contacted by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) on June 23. DCFS told police about a 4-week-old baby that […]

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Prosecutors drop charges against father charged in brutal beating of toddler that left her critically injured in Waukegan

Prosecutors on the day of a scheduled trial dropped charges against a father accused of severely beating his 14-month-old daughter at a Waukegan residence, leaving her in critical condition. Albert K. Estrada, 32, of Beach Park, was charged in October 2021 with two counts of aggravated battery to a child causing permanent disability, a Class […]

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22 years in prison for man who murdered 4-year-old girl that accidentally spilled juice on his Xbox in Waukegan

A Waukegan man was sentenced to 22 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to murdering a 4-year-old girl who accidentally spilled juice on his video game system in Waukegan. Johnathan Fair, 24, of Waukegan, was arrested in December 2018 and initially charged with aggravated battery to a child. He was later charged with multiple […]

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Round Lake Beach father charged with punching child, hitting her with belt causing injuries

A child suffered visible injuries after prosecutors say her Round Lake Beach father allegedly punched her and beat her with a belt. Roy P. Richard, 36, of Round Lake Beach, was charged with two counts of domestic battery causing bodily harm and domestic battery physical contact. Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Emma Smoler said officers […]

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Father arrested for allegedly starving, beating and abusing child over span of years in Vernon Hills

A father was arrested after prosecutors say his juvenile son reported that he was starved, beaten and abused over the span of more than a decade in Vernon Hills. Vikas Jaiswal, 48, of Vernon Hills, was charged with two counts of domestic battery, both misdemeanors. A juvenile, who attends high school, reported to his teacher […]

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Woodstock police officer awarded ‘officer of the year’ for saving life of student, siblings who were being neglected

A Woodstock police officer was awarded “officer of the year” for saving the lives of six children who were found to be neglected and had to be transported to the hospital. The McHenry County Chiefs of Police Association held its annual Officer of the Year banquet at the McHenry VFW last month. The Woodstock Police […]

Posted inState News

Inspector general report shows 49 more children died in Illinois DCFS care in 2022 than prior year

(The Center Square) – A new report by an inspector general for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services shows 171 children died while in contact with the department last year, 40% more than the year prior. The 248-page report released by the Illinois Inspector General shows that in 2022, 49 more children died […]