Illinois State Rep. Dan Ugaste, reads to children in December 2019. | State Representative Dan Ugaste/Facebook
Illinois State Rep. Dan Ugaste, reads to children in December 2019. | State Representative Dan Ugaste/Facebook
Republican State Rep. Dan Ugaste is concerned about the number of children who have died while in the care of Illinois’ Department of Children and Family Services
"For DCFS Director Marc Smith and his 2,900 employees, the wellbeing of children is job one," Ugaste stated in a Facebook post Jan. 17. "But the kids who lean on DCFS as a safety net are falling through it at a pace not seen in decades."
In fiscal year 2022, the DCFS had 171 children die in their care, according to an Office of Inspector General report, CBS News reported. Of the 97 deaths investigated by DCFS for abuse or neglect between July 2021 and June 2022, 18 were homicides and 30 were accidents.
The DCFS takes in $1.5 billion of taxpayer money each year.
“The death of any child is a profound tragedy, and the department mourns every loss of life and always scrutinizes case information to understand where we can do better,” a DCFS spokesperson stated. “Early prevention remains one of the most important ways to protect vulnerable children across the state of Illinois, and we look forward to building on the improvements highlighted in the report and implementing the OIG's new recommendations with expediency."
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