Child Missing 7 Years Found Safe, Mother Charged With Contempt After Years-Long Court Battle

CHICAGO – A child missing for seven years has been safely recovered by the Chicago Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force.

The child, then an infant, was reported missing on May 23, 2018, by the Department of Children and Family Services, who had custody of the infant after the child was diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease. According to the initial DCFS report, it was suspected that the infant was with the biological mother. DCFS deemed the child was not safe with the mother. Before the child could be safely recovered, the mother fled from authorities, authorities said.

This past May, after a years-long court battle to have the child returned, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office issued an arrest warrant for contempt of court.

Chicago police requested assistance last month of the U.S. Marshals service in the Northern District of Illinois in locating and recovering the child.

Investigators from the U.S. Marshals and Chicago Police Internet Crimes Against Children unit were able to determine the potential whereabouts of the mother and missing child at a residence in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood. While under surveillance, many children and adults were seen going in and out of the residence. The missing child’s older sibling was also wanted by Chicago police for aggravated criminal sexual assault of a child.

On July 17, U.S. Marshals and Chicago police again were staking out the residence when the mother was seen leaving the address with a teenager and a younger child, authorities said. The younger child reportedly resembled the missing child, although several years older at this time.

The decision was made to approach and apprehend the mother, who was taken into custody without incident, authorities said. A fake name was allegedly provided for the child, but when investigators called the child by their real name, the child was surprised but later acknowledged their actual name.

Two other children, an infant and a toddler, were in a stroller. Authorities said the teen was identified as the sibling of the children present. Authorities said that due to the conditions of the children, DCFS took custody of all the children, including the teen.

The mother was arrested on her outstanding warrants and booked into the Cook County Jail. The missing child, who is a ward of the state, was returned to DCFS. The older sibling wanted for aggravated criminal sexual assault was arrested the following day by the Great Lakes Regional Task Force, according to information derived from the recovery.