SPRINGFIELD – Two youths, ages 15 and 17, were handcuffed and shackled at their feet while being driven from a youth shelter to another living arrangement, according to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

The teens were both restrained for nearly 30 miles in early October while being moved by a company hired by DCFS from Chicago to Palatine. The incident is now being investigated.

State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) released the following statement:

“When we dishonor one person’s rights, we dishonor everyone’s rights,” Senator Morrison said. “DCFS’s failure to provide oversight and accountability on their contractors has caused another violation. This situation underscores my commitment to reform this troubled agency.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) will lead a joint hearing with the House and Senate Human Services Committees Tuesday to discuss sub-minimum wage employment for people with developmental disabilities in Illinois.

The hearing comes in response to Springfield-based Land of Lincoln Goodwill’s plans to cancel paychecks of employees with disabilities due to the minimum wage increase.

Sub-minimum wage is legally paying certain individuals less than minimum wage. Land of Lincoln Goodwill has approval from the U.S. Department of Labor to pay sub-minimum wage rates to workers with disabilities.

State agencies — including the Department of Human Services, the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities, Central Management Service and the Department of Labor — will testify before the committee.

WHO: Senate and House Human Services Committees

WHAT: Joint subject matter hearing on sub-minimum wage employment

DATE: Tuesday, November 12

TIME: 4 p.m.

DEERFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) released the statement below following Crystal Lake Police’s announcement today that they are charging AJ Freund’s parents with murder after finding the 5-year-old’s body: 

“It is horrific that we are once again discussing the death of a child following alleged abuse and neglect at the hands of his parents. It does not get any easier to hear these stories.

“As with many other deaths, it seems the system designed to protect Illinois' children did not work in AJ Freund's case.

“It has long been my contention that we need to start at the first step of the child protection system and look critically at the Illinois hotline program. It is our duty as legislators to investigate why this happened. Therefore, I am calling for an independent, comprehensive audit of the DCFS hotline.

“The legislature, along with the governor, must begin in some concrete ways to reform an agency that has failed in its responsibility to protect children.”