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* The Tribune reports that DCFS Director George Sheldon may be leaving for a job in Florida…
The change of leadership would be another blow to DCFS, which had seven directors or acting directors in the three years before Gov. Bruce Rauner appointed Sheldon in February 2015.
The Tribune has also learned that in recent months that Sheldon fell under a cloud of ethics probes by DCFS Inspector General Denise Kane and Illinois Executive Inspector General Margaret Hickey. Kane’s office has investigated allegations of favoritism in contracts and hiring, as well as abuse of authority by a top aide, according to government documents and interviews.
Separately, Sheldon faced pushback from veteran agency investigators who say they are pressured to quickly close abuse and neglect cases even when children face serious harm.
The agency last week was roiled by the death of 16-month-old Semaj Crosby in Joliet. DCFS opened and closed four investigations into alleged abuse in her home and had visited just hours before she was reported missing. She was later found dead under a couch in the home.
The revelation that veteran investigators are complaining about pressure to quickly close abuse cases couldn’t come at a worse time, as the Tribune notes.
* Herald-News…
Semaj’s family told police she’d been playing with other children in the front yard Tuesday afternoon when she disappeared and they spent an hour looking for her before calling police. Semaj’s mother, Sheri Gordon, was questioned twice by investigators and consulted with a lawyer before allowing police to search the house late Wednesday. […]
A representative of the Department of Children and Family Services was at the house about an hour before Semaj went missing. The agency opened two investigations of Gordon for allegations of neglect last month. DCFS spokeswoman Veronica Resa stated in an email that DCFS personnel had been at the home about 3:20 p.m. Tuesday “and had seen all three of the mother’s children, including Semaj. There were no obvious hazards or safety concerns at that time.”
But sheriff’s police described the house’s condition as “deplorable,” with garbage strewn throughout. The residence was tagged Thursday as unfit for occupancy.
Including Gordon, her two sons and Semaj, five to 15 people were regularly living in the house as “squatters,” according to sheriff’s police.
Emphasis added for obvious reasons.
* ABC 7…
An Illinois judge is demanding to know what did state child care workers do to help the family of a 1-year-old girl who was found dead in their home.
Will County Circuit Judge Paula Gomora made the request Tuesday during a hearing to determine where to place the deceased girl’s three older brothers. […]
During the hearing, Gomora said Department of Children and Family Services caseworkers missed obvious signs of trouble in previous visits to the home.
DCFS contracted with the private child welfare agency Children’s Home and Aid to provide services to the family. Both DCFS and Children’s Home and Aid declined to comment Tuesday.
* Sun-Times…
Officials released photos on Monday giving a glimpse inside the now-condemned home in far southwest suburban Joliet Township where 16-month-old Semaj Crosby was found dead last week. […]
As police conduct a “suspicious death” investigation, the newly released photos and reports provided by the Will County Land Use Department in response to a Freedom of Information Act request by the Chicago Sun-Times appear to back up the “deplorable” conditions inside the home that authorities described last week. […]
“The entire structure appeared unsanitary because of the heavily soiled carpets, walls, garbage and [it] contains a serious degree of filth,” an inspector noted in her report.
One of the photos…
* But DCFS isn’t the only agency that didn’t take action…
Will County Sheriff’s deputies encountered little Semaj Crosby on Easter Sunday when they did a well-being check.
The department said on its Facebook page that three deputies went to a Joliet Township residence April 16 after someone made an “abandoned” call to 9-1-1.
“When they arrived at the home they came across some kids outside playing with sticks,” the Facebook post said. “They went inside and spoke to the mom and grandmother and found that everything was fine.”
* But Director Sheldon told a Senate committee this morning that he has reviewed the case and didn’t find anything wrong…
"We do not bring children into care because of a dirty house,” DCFS director says. Reviewed records and did not warrant removal, he says. https://t.co/bHcWZzIICI
— Brian Mackey (@BrianMackey) May 3, 2017
* And…
DCFS Director George Sheldon says Semaj Crosby was found under a couch with no legs, suggesting she could not have simply crawled under it.
— Brian Mackey (@BrianMackey) May 3, 2017
Interesting.
* Back to today’s Tribune report about the possibility that the director is leaving…
“There are two things that make this a particularly difficult job right now,” [ACLU of Illinois legal director Ben Wolf] added. “The agency’s problems are very profound … and the budget impasse and political paralysis that caused it are putting enormous pressure on the child welfare system and all of the other human services in Illinois.”
Governor, we need a budget.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 10:41 am
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I have represented many many children who have been removed from their home because it was filthy It is called an environment injurious and is one of the statutory reasons to remove a child.
Comment by DuPage Saint Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 10:46 am
This is bad. There is no good way to spin this other than DCFS and others failed this child.
Do your job Governor!
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 10:48 am
Thank you, Ben Wolf, for pointing out the interconnectedness of this. Child welfare is a system of last resort. When other systems fail, it is left to pick up the pieces.
Comment by pawn Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 10:50 am
Your doing a heckuva job Brownie…er…Rauner.
Comment by Saluki Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 10:51 am
Governor Rauner, no amount of duct tape can fix this mess. Please, do your job! Get a budget together and present it!
Comment by East Central Illinois Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 10:53 am
“Governor, we need a budget.”
Yes, but also consider the union contract restrictions, the burdensome procurement rules, and the fact that the veteran investigators who are complaining are the same who earned “veteran” status while DCFS was an absolute train wreck. Not all of that can be blamed on a governor or director.
But yeah, just blaming the governor for not unilaterally enacting a budget is easier.
Comment by Lineman Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 10:54 am
==Will County Sheriff’s deputies encountered little Semaj Crosby on Easter Sunday when they did a well-being check.==
This, following a 911 hang up call. In other words these deputies saw a bunch of kids and “talked” to the mom and grandmother. Did these deputies have sufficient prior acquaintance with Semaj to even know they actually saw her/encountered her? I have questioned this “piece” of the horrible story from Joliet since the day she was found.
Comment by Responsa Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 10:55 am
The Governor shrugs his shoulders and says “change is hard”.
Comment by The Dude Abides Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 10:55 am
===just blaming the governor for not unilaterally enacting a budget===
He can’t do that. What he can, and has done is to unilaterally kill a budget.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 10:56 am
==Governor, we need a budget==
Yep. We need a tax increase and a balanced budget. Spending on safety for Semaj and other kids that depend on the government is not waste, fraud or abuse. To not provide protection for Semaj and these kids is abuse.
Raise taxes. Pass a balanced budget that looks out for our most vulnerable citizens.
Comment by Can Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 10:57 am
I worked for some time with the Civil Conflicts Division of the Cook County Public Defender’s Office.
The people who work for DCFS have a very difficult job, one that I could not handle. From my experience, while there are many admirable people doing the best they can, there are a troubling amount of DCFS employees that exhibit a blatant disinterest in the responsibilities of their job.
Comment by AlfondoGonz Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 10:57 am
A child should not have been failed by some many adults. But, as we all have been told, “Bruce doesn’t have a social agenda”, and Dr. Rauner is focused on “welcome baskets”-
http://www.wifr.com/content/news/Illinois-first-lady-announces-new-program-in-Stephenson-County-420956293.html
Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 10:58 am
Governor Rauner says “Job creators get excited about term limits.” 16-month-old Semaj Crosby not so much.
Comment by don the legend Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 11:05 am
It’s terrible that the State has consistently underfunded and mismanaged social services, requiring Ben Wolf and others to file suit and either win trials or negotiate consent decreees.
It’s horrible that Bruce Rauner, with all his promises of change and better management, has made things even worse.
Comment by Keyrock Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 11:13 am
DCFS has a long history of incompetency that predates a lack of a budget.
Comment by Shemp Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 11:17 am
While it is easy to decidedly point fingers, a tragedy did occur, effecting really people, not imaginary scenarios with possible outcomes.
The reality is as simple as Rich said;
“Governor, we need a budget”
Now I read this, me, as this…
All sides need to realize that tragedies that can be possibly adverted by having a functional government which includes a working budget, signed and implemented to serve this state and her citizens.
All sides need to understand, no one side is winning, no one side standing “firm against”, and no one side can look at a tragedy as an example of warped self evidence.
We, Illinois needs a budget.
Past governors point to the Executive to lead and find compromise.
Legislative co-governing requires a finding of where that middle ground exists from the point of the Executive leading, and Legislative will to find where passage and signage can occur.
We need a budget. Illinois is counting on you all.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 11:23 am
If we just had term limits, perhaps this child would be alive today.
I recognize what’s written above is sick. But, isn’t that what this comes down to? Or is it workers comp? Or is it economic reforms that, “move the needle.”
I hope the governor enjoys whatever dress-up opportunity he’s scheduled today.
Comment by Carhartt Union Negotiating Team Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 11:41 am
===DCFS has a long history of incompetency that predates a lack of a budget.===
While this is true it’s irrelevant in the story’s context. The death of this child happened on Governor Rauner’s watch therefore, he owns it. That’s how it works.
Comment by Cubs in '16 Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 11:46 am
George Sheldon came to Illinois only in 2015 and apparently he will be gone shortly. He did help write the Illinois Child Welfare Strategic Plan 2016-2020 that will go on the shelf with dozens of other plans developed over the last 30 years. Sheldon did achieve something, he got the General Assembly to agree to DCFS dropping all supports for DCFS wards at age 18. Now they are out the door with no DCFS support for post-secondary education if they should be so lucky as to graduate from high school. Nationally only 50% of foster children ever graduate from high schools and only 20% of those graduates go to college. Of that small percentage that do go to college only 9% of them ever get a college degree of any type.
Comment by Rod Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 11:49 am
DCFS also has a long history of budget cuts and underfunding.
Comment by walker Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 11:52 am
DCFS has its funding through a consent decree. The lack of a budget is not the critical factor here. Of course, more money would be nice, but this is not an agency whose contracts have not been honored.
Again, many investigators do good work. the problem is that there is no way to manage those that do not. A poor worker in a support function can be worked around. No way to work around an investigator.
The last really good Director for DCFS was McEwen, and he had problems with politically connected contractors. He failed to act when warned of problems, though his problems were of omission not commission.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 11:53 am
Anyone else remember when Candidate Rauner made the reprehensible comment that he held Governor Quinn personally responsible for any child deaths under DCFS?
It was around the release of this ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mw-sTNexkMk
Comment by Moist von Lipwig Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 11:55 am
Does Rauner get pinned with this, the way Ryan was with the Willis family? He should.
Comment by My New Handle Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 11:58 am
Another superstar bites the dust. Has it ever been revealed why Rauner’s original hire for Director of IDOC bailed after like a month?
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 12:08 pm
Last Bull Moose:
That is a willful misrepresentation of the story and Rich’s post.
Sheldon is under multiple investigations.
And senior investigators are complaining that they are being required to close investigations as Unfounded.
When you look at the budget pressures, combined with Sheldon’s promises to reduce the number of kids in foster care, look at this particular case, and look at the explosion of repeated allegations of abuse and reported child deaths, the conclusion is almost inescapable.
The simplest explanation is that investigators are being pressured from above to leave kids in dangerous homes.
Comment by Juvenal Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 12:15 pm
===DCFS also has a long history of budget cuts and underfunding.===
This
Comment by PublicServant Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 12:18 pm
DCFS has 74 jobs open, most being in the child protection / welfare area. They start at $52k a year and currently offer no pay raises or step increases with the possibility of the doubling in cost for health insurance.
Those people have heart-breaking jobs and no support from a governor who says they are overpaid. Not only do we need a budget, but a contract would go a long way to increasing these worker’s motivation.
Comment by A Jack Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 12:44 pm
Last Bull Moose:
You are misreading the story and Rich’s post.
Sheldon is under multiple investigations.
And senior investigators are complaining that they are being required to close investigations as Unfounded.
When you look at the budget pressures, combined with Sheldon’s promises to reduce the number of kids in foster care, look at this particular case, and look at the explosion of repeated allegations of abuse and reported child deaths, the conclusion is almost inescapable.
The simplest explanation is that investigators are being pressured from above to leave kids in dangerous homes.
If indeed, Sheldon is putting kids at risk in order to make his foster care numbers look better, he should be fired before he can quit.
Comment by Juvenal Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 1:09 pm
Judge Gomora has a history of impeding DCFS investigations:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/patch.com/illinois/joliet/amp/14943291/dcfs-wants-alleged-hickory-st-killers-kid-stripped-naked-for-exam
The Will County bench is partly to blame for how deplorable child welfare has become under their jurisdiction.
Comment by Free Set of Steak Knives Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 1:14 pm
re the loss of that child and the condition of the home….I can’t even…. this situation is overall and specifically tragic.
Comment by amalia Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 1:23 pm
All the budgets, tax increases, policies, court orders, and government executives in the world, cannot change the nature of the adult persons that choose to treat this child like this.
The sad thing is that there are many more of these persons than you would think. I have interacted with several over my lifetime.
Maybe one of our universities could do a case study here. Seriously. Find out what went wrong in the minds of the adults that were responsible for this little girl’s well being. We all need to know.
Comment by cdog Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 1:27 pm
==Those people have heart-breaking jobs and no support==
Not to mention the danger. The DCFS I used to temp at had their panic button installed after one of the caseworkers was taken hostage by a parent with a gun. Now imagine having to go to these people’s houses and tell them you have to take their child. They generally aren’t greeted with milk and cookies.
Comment by HangingOn Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 1:38 pm
If this is grade A work by the Rauner administration, I’d hate to see B- work, let alone an F.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 1:41 pm
Juvenal,
I did not comment on the ethics investigations for Sheldon. These have been ongoing from his early days. I have long thought that he was a problem waiting to surface.
The consent decree has provided some protection from the budget impasse. I do not think it reasonable to blame the impasse for DCFS budget problems.
There has long been pressure to keep kids in their homes if possible. Illinois DCFS historically has had a low removal rate and long reunificataion times. And DCFS is not good at raising kids. There are a few successes. But the odds are not good. And some cases are terrible, see Laquon McDonald.
I am not currently at DCFS and do not know if the pressure to keep kids in their homes is greater now than before. There is a difference between unfounding a minor neglect case and unfounding a truly dangerous abuse case. When DCFS had a pilot program for Differential Response (a program that had no findings for minor problems) the removal rate was the same for cases treated by DR and normal investigations. The caseworkers shifted all the dangerous cases to investigations.
We can expect the removal rate to spike with this case. It normally does when a case goes wrong and hits the press.
This particular case reads more like murder than death by neglect. I will watch to see as more information is released.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 2:20 pm
in the realm of you operate it, you own it, this has the makings of a story during the campaign for governor. how could that staffer be in one hour before and not see the mess? it could not have been created in an hour. viewed on tv, this will be especially powerful.
Comment by Amalia Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 2:27 pm
“When I took office, DCFS was in shambles from a lack of leadership and direction,” Governor Rauner said. “Today, under the direction of Director George Sheldon, the agency has made an impressive transformation to ensure we are protecting our state’s most vulnerable children.”
Hey, WAND, when is the follow-up story?
Comment by Juvenal Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 4:15 pm
I think we need more information here. Is it clear that the child’s death was related to the reported condition of the home. Has the ME issued a cause and manner of death. Did the investigator actually see the whole house-remember, they can’t go in without a warrant unless allowed in by the occupant.
In summary, not enough information to indict DCFS on this, or any single case. There are failures in the best-run systems. And in this particular apparent failure, we don’t even have all the info yet.
Comment by Cassandra Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 4:28 pm
Before this goes to heavy partisan, SHeldon has been praised by both Democrats and Republicans for his work in Illinois. That has meaning.
Comment by Waffle fries Wednesday, May 3, 17 @ 5:20 pm
in 1993 dcfs was under pressure to remove children based on hearsay only because the joseph wallace case how dcfs kepte giving the mother amanda wallace back custody of her child . she got her white male son back she then hunged the 3 year old. dcfs never talked about why the boys white father didnt get custody. by march of 1994 dcfs had taken into custody fifty thousand children six of these children were taken in july of 1993 never went back home. http://justice4thenicholaschildren.wordpress.com
Comment by concerned Tuesday, May 23, 17 @ 6:30 am