If you’re a parent, you were probably already thinking about the safety of your children before this sentence reminded you to do it. Where are they? What are they doing? Is someone looking after them? If these questions are unanswered, they can gnaw at you whether children are in trouble or not.
These questions can hover in your mind a lot when you are not used to seeing your children as much, which is often the case with divorced parents. Child custody arrangements can take offspring away from a mother or father for days or weeks at a time. If you’re worried about the other parent’s behavior, it may feel limiting to the point of mental anguish.
Illinois’ Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) is responsible for the safety of children in circumstances that may be harmful to them. In a recent case, two employees of the department are being sued for ignoring the signs of abuse that may have contributed to the death of a 5-year-old boy.
The case details several calls to DCFS made over the preceding two years that highlight the risks the boy faced in his home. A hospital visit for a bruised hip even resulted in temporary protective custody for the boy. But the boy’s estate is claiming the two DCFS workers conducted a fake investigation and reported the abuse allegations as “unfounded.”
It is important to report any signs of child abuse as soon as possible. If a parent is looking for a way to help a child in someone else’s care, an attorney can help make a case for a concerned adult’s custody of a child at risk.
