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CHICAGO (WLS) — A child has been found on Chicago’s Northwest Side after being reported missing more than seven years ago, the U.S. Marshals Service Northern District of Illinois said on Friday.
The child’s older sibling, who is accused of sexual assault, and the mother have been arrested.
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The Department of Children and Family Services initially reported the child, an infant at the time, missing on May 23, 2018. The child had been in DCFS custody after being diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease.
According to the initial DCFS report, the child was suspected to be with their biological mother, but was not safe with her. The mother fled from authorities before the child could be returned to DCFS.
On May 7 of this year, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office issued an arrest warrant for the mother for contempt of court, stemming from a years-long court battle to have the child returned.
On July 9, the Chicago Police Department requested help from the U.S. Marshals Service in the Northern District of Illinois in finding and returning the child.
Authorities identified a Humboldt Park home where the child and their relatives could be, and surveillance confirmed that the mother was there.
Many children and adults were seen going in and out of the home. Those people included the missing child’s older sibling, who was wanted for aggravated criminal sexual assault of a child.
On July 17, authorities established surveillance at the Humboldt Park address again.
This time, the child’s mother left the home with a stroller, along with a teenager and younger child, who resembled the missing child.
Authorities approached and apprehended the mother before taking her into custody.
Initially, a fake name was provided for the missing child. When investigators used the child’s real name, the child was surprised but later acknowledged their actual name.
Two other children, an infant and a toddler, were in the stroller. The teenager was identified as a sibling of the children present. DCFS took custody of all the children, including the teenager, due to their conditions.
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 on the following day.
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