Rep. Sheehan Again Calls For Repeal Of SAFE-T Act After No Jail For Homer Glen Couple

HOMER GLEN, IL — Lockport-area State Rep. Patrick Sheehan is again decrying the SAFE-T Act, after the Homer Glen parents of 2-year-old Trinity Balen-Weiher were both charged with first-degree murder, but were not detained in jail.

"This is unacceptable," Rep. Sheehan said in a release. "A child was taken from this world in a horrific way, and the people accused of her murder are walking free. The Safe-T Act has turned our justice system upside down, protecting criminals while failing the most vulnerable among us."

Edward Weiher and Alexa Balen learned Monday that although they are now being charged with first-degree murder for the November 2024 death of their 2-year-old daughter, Will County Judge Vincent Cornelius ruled they will remain free pending their future court hearings.

Back in November, the Will County State's Attorney's Office asked a Will County judge to keep 49-year-old Edward Weiher in the Will County Jail following the death of his daughter. Weiher and the child's mother, Balen, 27, are both being charged as co-defendants in the death of the child inside their filthy $900,000 home in Homer Glen.

A search of the home found the house in complete disarray as the entire floor was covered in garbage, food, urine and feces, and spread throughout the countertops and tables was a clear white substance suspected to be heroin and cocaine, prosecutors outlined in court records.

Prior to Monday's unsealing of the new indictment also charging Balen and Weiher with murder, the Will County State's Attorney's Office had charged the Homer Glen parents with endangering the life or health of a child, unlawful possession of a controlled substance - cocaine; unlawful possession of a controlled substance - heroin; and another count of endangering the life or health of a child. The criminal complaint accused Balen and Weiher of providing unsafe living conditions for their child who died.

At Monday's hearing, Will County prosecutors revealed that the child died from ingestion of heroin and cocaine and that an expert witness has determined that Trinity would have survived the overdose if Weiher and Balen had called 911 in a timely manner and got her emergency help, instead of waiting several hours before calling 911 as they did.

Balen was constantly crying at Monday's hearing as she sat with Tedone and Weiher at the Courtroom 404 defense table. Tedone told the judge that she has successfully completed a 30-day in patient drug treatment program, and plans to continue with the program.

Tedone insisted that his clients are not flight risks. He explained that a family trust is now in control of their funds. He said they have known for a while that they could be charged with first-degree murder, and yet they continued to come to court.

“Law enforcement is handcuffed, and our courts are powerless while criminals walk free,” Rep. Sheehan said. “We need laws that hold criminals accountable. Instead, here we are, seeing two people charged with murder of a child walk free. It’s outrageous and needs to change.”

Patch Editor John Ferak contributed to this report.