South Cook News

Senate Republican Leader John Curran and Senate Republican Caucus Whip Jil Tracy have called for an independent audit by the Illinois Auditor General. The resolution seeks to investigate allegations of violence against children under state care at Aunt Martha’s Integrated Care Center in Chicago. The call comes amid accusations that the Pritzker Administration attempted to falsify documents related to these investigations.

"Gov. Pritzker’s Administration’s failure to protect abused youth in the state’s care from physical and sexual abuse and their attempts to thwart inquiries into the abuse is extremely alarming," said Curran. "Since the Pritzker Administration refuses to come forward in an accountable and transparent manner, we are moving forward in calling for this audit to provide answers for the child victims, their families, and the people of Illinois."

A report by Injustice Watch highlighted numerous allegations of violence, including sexual and physical abuse at the state-funded center. Concerns were raised when Marc Smith, a former executive at Aunt Martha's, was appointed as Director of DCFS in 2019 despite potential conflicts of interest. Smith later signed a no-bid contract with A-Alert Security, a company under scrutiny since August 2023.

Despite these concerns, payments continued to A-Alert Security totaling over $7.3 million since 2022. WGN reported that Antonio Hopkins, an employee of A-Alert Security, was arrested on charges of aggravated sexual assault but failed to appear in court. Another staffer, Trulon Henry, faced multiple charges related to crimes committed while employed at Aunt Martha's.

“These are just two examples of the horrific crimes that have been reported at this state-funded center that was supposed to be protecting child victims of abuse,” Tracy said.

The facility was shut down by DCFS in June following allegations of document backdating during an investigation by the Office of the Executive Inspector General. A DCFS spokesperson acknowledged an employee's attempt at cover-up as panic-driven.

“The Governor’s Office has refused to even comment on the horrific findings of this investigation," Curran stated. He emphasized the need for an audit covering various aspects such as abuse claims handling and financial spending.

Tracy underscored the severity: “These were children who were abused... What were the results? Allegations of sexual abuse... The people of Illinois deserve to know what happened here.”

Curran filed Senate Resolution 1229 with Tracy co-sponsoring it. They aim for action during the upcoming Veto Session, stressing protection for vulnerable children as a priority.

“These are kids,” Curran reiterated. “If protecting... isn’t a top priority then serious changes need to be made..."