Troubled teen who escaped DCFS caseworkers was not placed into secure facility after being found
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A 17-year-old with a violent history escaped from his caseworkers in Chicago last month, and it turns out the foster child in the care of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services was not placed in a secure facility recommended to the state after being brought back into custody.
Given that the teen had a history of gun and carjacking charges, the escape from custody was concerning. But the teen is no longer at large—he was brought back into custody within the last week following a warrant out for his arrest.
But CBS News Chicago asked DCFS and the Cook County State's Attorney's office why more has not been done to keep the teen secure, considering the danger presented to the teen and the public.
The teen flew from Florida to Chicago, and then escaped his caseworkers getting off his flight at Midway International Airport on Tuesday, Oct. 22. CBS News Chicago is not naming the teen, since he is a minor.
The teen has been moved around the DCFS system since he was 10 years old. He has been in and out of courtrooms for repeated crimes, and was arrested several times in 2023 alone.
His record includes four counts of aggravated battery, and seven counts of aggravated vehicular theft with use of a weapon. Another case involved several counts of unlawful use of a weapon.
The teen's punishment was probation.
As CBS News Chicago has reported before, the teen was sent to Brooksville Youth Academy—a residential treatment center in Florida.
But the teen had more issues in the secured full-time facility in Florida. He was arrested after taking part in a riot there.
The Florida facility told DCFS it had to take the teen back to Illinois because he needed "a more secure placement." This was reinforced when the teen escaped DCFS custody at the airport—something DCFS actually predicted with a caseworker and a judge predicting he would try to run.
But CBS News Chicago has learned that since the teen was brought back into custody in the last week, instead of a "more secure placement," he has been placed in an unsecured shelter. DCFS is calling this an "emergency resource placement center."
"The youth is in an emergency resource placement center to receive services that he needs, which includes therapy, mentoring and recreational therapy," DCFS said. "A future meeting with the youth and team will determine next steps."
While that Florida arrest could have been a probation violation, forcing a secure placement, the Cook County State's Attorney's office refused to charge the teen as such.
Only the State's Attorney's office can address why the teen was not found to have violated his probation when he was arrested. But the State's Attorney's office they will not answer any of CBS News Chicago's questions—even related to policy and procedures, or why more is not being done to protect the teen and the general public.
"As this is a juvenile and pending litigation, we are unable to comment," The State's Attorney's office said.
Chicago Police said they cannot provide more information about bringing the teen into custody because he is underage.
The Cook County Public Defender's office said:
<blockquote>"For the past 11 years, our client has been neglected and traumatized by DCFS's inadequate response to his legitimate needs for support and healing. Now, DCFS's long-time lack of investment threatens our client's access to supportive services in the juvenile delinquency court.
"Young people will be the future of our society. Incarceration is a failed approach to correcting the challenges our youth face. We must always look to alternatives other than locking children up as a way of 'fixing' them."</blockquote>
