Elyssa Cherney

Pritzker vows DCFS overhaul, says agency, children in its care ‘neglected for years’

May 15, 2019 at 6:31 p.m.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday said he is committed to overhauling the state's troubled child welfare agency, vowing to allocate more resources to fix systemic problems cited in a...

DCFS Acting Director Marc Smith listens during a presentation on the findings of a six-week review that looked at the agency's intact family services, during a presentation for media at the DCFS office in Chicago on May 13, 2019.

Is DCFS allowing too many abused or neglected kids to stay with their parents? A new report is critical of services aimed at keeping families together

May 15, 2019 at 3:14 p.m.

Caseworkers tasked with helping thousands of Illinois' most vulnerable kids face pressure to keep families together — even after evidence of abuse or neglect has emerged — and have limited...

JoAnn Cunningham, 37, cries during her sentencing hearing in Woodstock, July 16, 2020.

AJ Freund’s DCFS investigators were overloaded with cases before boy was killed — a chronic problem at the agency

May 9, 2019 at 7:36 p.m.

Investigators assigned to look into the well-being of Andrew "AJ" Freund before the Crystal Lake boy was beaten to death were overloaded with other cases of alleged child abuse and...

Flowers and toys mark the grave of Sema'j Crosby at Elmhurst Cemetery on May 30, 2017. She was found dead the month before in her Joliet Township home.

As new DCFS report highlights failures, Cook County guardian says ‘inept’ child welfare agency is ‘not doing its job … at every level’

June 14, 2024 at 6:41 p.m.

A new report from the Illinois auditor general slammed the state's troubled child welfare agency for failing to follow its own policies when investigating cases of abuse and neglect, finding...

Chicago police union President Kevin Graham greets people before speaking April 30, 2019, at the City Club of Chicago, where he gave a wide-ranging talk that touched on several hot-button issues.

Chicago police union president renews criticism of Kim Foxx, says she ‘needs to step down’ if she can’t do her job

May 23, 2019 at 2:02 a.m.

The head of the Chicago police union doubled down on his criticism of Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx during a speech Tuesday, once again showcasing the frayed relationship between...

S.E. Brick, second from left, Katie Brick, right, and their children, Maggie and Jack, get ready to help serve dinner at First United Methodist Church in Evanston on April 25, 2019.

The United Methodist Church has reached a breaking point. Will Friday’s ruling on LGBTQ issues split the church?

May 23, 2019 at 2:01 a.m.

When S.E. and Katie Brick joined a United Methodist congregation last year, the self-described "rainbow family" found the welcoming and diverse environment they were seeking in a religious home. The...

Illinois State Police conduct a funeral service for Trooper Brooke Jones-Story on April 3, 2019, in Warren, Ill.

Trucker charged in Illinois State Police Trooper Brooke Jones-Story’s death took nap, fell asleep on the road before fatal crash, investigators allege

May 23, 2019 at 2:01 a.m.

A truck driver charged in a crash that killed an Illinois State Police trooper last month told authorities that he fell asleep at the wheel earlier that day and again...

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