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Tag: Illinois

  • Illinois Landlord Convicted After Fatally Stabbing 6-Year-Old Palestinian American By 26 Times In Anti-Muslim Hate Crime

    Illinois Landlord Convicted After Fatally Stabbing 6-Year-Old Palestinian American By 26 Times In Anti-Muslim Hate Crime

    An Illinois man has been declared guilty of murder and a hate crime for killing 6-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume, a Palestinian American, back in 2023. This occurred days after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in Israel. Joseph Czuba, 73, also stabbed Hanan Shaheen, the boy’s mother, during the attack at their residence in Plainfeild, Ill, per PEOPLE. 

    After the mother was stabbed she attempted to call 911 from the bathroom, Czuba then assaulted her son Wadea. She heard him scream for aid. During the trial, prosecutors revealed that Wadea had been discovered naked and had sadly, been jabbed 26 times, they found him with the knife still in him, per the Associated Press. 

    Will County assistant state’s attorney, Michael Fitzgerald, said, “If it wasn’t enough that this defendant killed that little boy, he left the knife in the little boy’s body.” 

    The jury listened to a recording of Czuba talking to an officer, where he called Wadea and his mother “infested rats.” Hanan Shaheen testified that after the attack on Oct. 7, Czuba told her she and her son needed to leave, saying, “You, as a Muslim, must die.” He was also found guilty of attempted murder.

    Czuba’s defense said the investigation lacked important evidence and claimed his ex-wife only remembered one outburst from their long marriage.

    #Clique, let’s keep Hanan Shaheen in our thoughts and prayers!

  • Mother Arrested For Allegedly Faking Daughter’s Abduction and Taking ‘Missing’ Child To Alley To Be Found

    Mother Arrested For Allegedly Faking Daughter’s Abduction and Taking ‘Missing’ Child To Alley To Be Found

    A

    “frantic”

    mother residing in Illinois contacted 911 to report that her car had been stolen with her 4-year-old daughter inside, per Law & Crime. Princess Ilunga, 37, reportedly made the emergency call around 6 a.m. on January 26. Authorities issued an Amber Alert for the missing child, prompting a desperate 9-hour search. 

    However, it was later revealed that the girl had been at home the whole time. Ilunga is now facing charges for filing a false report to police. According to police in Rock Island, the woman told a 911 operator that she had left her car running in front of her house. She said she left her daughter in the back seat, and when she returned, the vehicle was gone.

    Authorities responded quickly and found the car, unoccupied, just a few blocks away about 15 minutes later. The Rock Island Police Department promptly shared the girl’s photo in a post that garnered over 40,000 shares. Illinois State Police issued a statewide Amber Alert. They located the girl in an alley close to her home shortly before 3 p.m. on the day she was reported missing.

    Authorities Determined The Child Was Never Missing

    Following an investigation, authorities determined that the girl was never missing and was present in the home when the police initially questioned the family, body camera footage revealed. He noted that Ilunga claimed the girl was another daughter and instructed her other children to refer to her by her Swahili name. According to the police chief, Ilunga pointed at the girl, saying she

    “looks just like her sister.”

    According to McCloud, after a police detective stationed outside the home returned to the station, Ilunga allegedly took her daughter to the nearby alley. She was later

    “found”

    by two women. Ilunga’s was arrested on January 30  in Johnson County, Wisconsin, located about 200 miles from Rock Island, outside of Milwaukee. Ilunga was taken into custody and is now awaiting extradition back to Illinois.

    #Clique, what are your thoughts?

  • Eleven Teenage Boys In Illinois Charged After Allegedly Luring Men Through Dating App To Beat Them Up

    Eleven Teenage Boys In Illinois Charged After Allegedly Luring Men Through Dating App To Beat Them Up

    Authorities in Illinois have charged eleven teenage boys. The teens reportedly used an online dating app to lure unsuspecting men to meet, where they would then attack them, police officials stated per USA Today.

    The charges involve ten boys aged 17 and one 16-year-old. They face numerous felonies such as aggravated battery, mob action, and criminal damage to property, as detailed in a news release from the Mount Prospect Police Department. Additionally, one of the 17-year-olds is facing two extra felony counts related to a hate crime, according to the department.

    The teenagers voluntarily surrendered and were taken into custody between November 11 and November 20, 2024, according to police reports. An investigation by Mount Prospect police revealed that some of the suspects were inspired to target men by a viral trend they had seen on social media.

    Victims Attacked in 7-Eleven Parking Lot

    Police reported that the first incident occurred on July 8 at 9:45 p.m., involving a 41-year-old man who was assaulted by the group in a 7-Eleven parking lot. He had arranged to meet someone through an online dating app, but upon arrival, he was confronted verbally and then physically attacked by the teens. Police reported that the teenagers damaged the man’s car during the first incident, but he managed to escape as they tried to follow him. 

    The second incident, occurring around 9:54 p.m. the same day, involved a 23-year-old man who was also lured and assaulted after using an online dating app. During the attack, one suspect slashed the man’s tires. He drove away but later stopped to seek help from a nearby home, where he asked them to call 911. Emergency responders took him to a hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Detectives were able to identify the suspects using surveillance footage from the 7-Eleven.

    #Clique, what are your thoughts?

  • Husband Charged In Wife’s Fatal Stabbing Just A Month Before Their Divorce Was Finalized

    Husband Charged In Wife’s Fatal Stabbing Just A Month Before Their Divorce Was Finalized

    A 33-year-old woman was reportedly killed by her husband in their Elgin home last week, just a month before their divorce was scheduled to be finalized, as reported by ABC 7 Chicago.

    The victim, named Dreanna Booker, was found around 1 a.m. on December 7 in the 700 block of Bluff City Boulevard, according to police. The suspect, 36-year-old Pierre J. French, was arrested shortly after the incident. Booker’s family stated that French was her husband, and their divorce was set to be finalized on January 1, 2025.

    ABC7 spoke with Dreanna Booker’s family on Saturday, who shared that they are leaning on their faith to help them navigate through this difficult time.

    “We want justice for my baby,”

    the victim’s brother, Thomas Mitchell, said.

    “Everything else we’re putting in God’s hands. Lord have mercy.”

    Court documents reveal that Booker had filed an emergency order of protection against French in July. The couple’s six children, aged between 1 and 14 years, are now left without either of their parents.

    “Her kids meant the world to her,”

    the victim’s nephew, Tayvion, said.

    “Nobody could take her kids away from her, and we’re gonna forever have her kids everyday.”

    French is now facing charges of first-degree murder and is scheduled to appear in court again on Wednesday in Kane County.

    #Clique, what are your thoughts?

  • U.S. Department Of Labor Investigating Claims Of Migrant Child Labor At HelloFresh

    U.S. Department Of Labor Investigating Claims Of Migrant Child Labor At HelloFresh

    The U.S. Department of Labor is investigating HelloFresh. The well-known meal kit company is accused of employing migrant children at its cooking and packaging site in Illinois. Reports state this happened as recently as this summer, as reported by ABC News.

    Cristobal Cavazos, the executive director for Immigrant Solidarity, stated that at least six teenagers, some of whom migrated from Guatemala, were discovered working night shifts there. Immigrant Solidarity is a group that advocates for immigrant rights and helped bring this issue to the attention of federal authorities.

    “They’re minors working dangerous jobs,”

    Cavazos told ABC News.

    The Labor Department is also looking into Midway Staffing, the agency that hired workers for the HelloFresh facility, to see if they broke any federal child labor laws, per ABC News. HelloFresh is a German company, and is the biggest meal kit provider in the United States.

    The Department of Labor has confirmed to ABC News that it is investigating both the HelloFresh facility and the staffing agency.

    “We were deeply troubled to learn of the allegations made against a former temporary staffing agency,”

    a spokesperson for HelloFresh told ABC News in a statement.

    “As soon as we learned of these allegations, we immediately terminated the relationship,”

    they added. 

    “We have strict protocols in place to ensure all vendors follow our robust global ethics and compliance policies,”

    the spokesperson said.

    “We have zero tolerance for any form of child labor, and we have taken action to ensure no minors perform work in or have access to our facilities.”

    The spokesperson told ABC News that the facility in Aurora, Illinois, is a Factor75 site, which HelloFresh bought in 2020. Factor75 is a company that delivers prepared meals.

    #Clique, what are your thoughts?

  • Cook County Corrections Deputy Accused Of Allowing Inmate To Access Her Cell Phone For Pornography and Messaging

    Cook County Corrections Deputy Accused Of Allowing Inmate To Access Her Cell Phone For Pornography and Messaging

    A Cook County Corrections Deputy, Shadonna Jones, 54, faces new charges for allegedly allowing an inmate at Cook County jail to use her phone for messaging and viewing pornography, per WGN9. This comes after she was previously charged with possessing drug-soaked papers.

    The Cook County Sheriff’s Office began investigating Jones after discovering she had dozens of sheets soaked in suspected illegal drugs in July. A search of her home revealed 48 stained sheets, often linked to illegal substances, along with a letter from an inmate discussing the sale of these papers for $10,000 each, with Jones set to receive $2,500 per package.

    Testing confirmed the presence of MDMB-BUTINACA, a synthetic cannabinoid, on the papers. During an interview, Jones claimed she received the papers from an inmate’s family for $1,000 but denied any intention to distribute them.

    The search also revealed two seized phones. Forensic analysis of the Android phone showed it was used by an inmate for accessing pornographic sites and messaging on Facebook. Records from Jones’ iPhone indicated she communicated with the inmate during her shift.

    Jones, hired as a deputy in June 2019, has been on injured status since July 15 after an incident while breaking up a fight between two inmates. She was de-deputized on July 25 after her arrest. Jones was arraigned in court on both the drug-related and new charges.

    #Clique, what are your thoughts?

  • Illinois Parole Board Members Step Down Following Release Of Man Who Fatally Stabbed 11-Year-Old Boy Less Than 24 Hours Later

    Illinois Parole Board Members Step Down Following Release Of Man Who Fatally Stabbed 11-Year-Old Boy Less Than 24 Hours Later

    The chair of the Illinois Prisoner Review Board and a board member have resigned following public backlash over the release of a man who went on to fatally stab his ex-girlfriend’s young son, reports the NY Post. 

    Donald Shelter, the board chair, and LeAnn Miller, a board member, stepped down on Monday after 11-year-old Jayden Perkins was murdered on March 13. The incident occurred less than 24 hours after the man was granted parole. Crosetti Brand, 37, allegedly attacked Jayden and his mother, Laterria Smith, at their home in Edgewater. 

    Smith survived the attack but suffered a stab wound to her neck. Miller had reportedly approved Brand’s parole the day before the incident, which has caused widespread outrage because Smith had previously sought an order of protection against Brand. A hearing was scheduled for March 13, but the attack occurred before it took place. 

    The Illinois Department of Corrections and the Prisoner Review Board claim they were unaware of the hearing, though emails suggest otherwise.

    “It is clear that evidence in this case was not given the careful consideration that victims of domestic violence deserve, and I am committed to ensuring additional safeguards and training are in place to prevent tragedies like this from happening again,”

    Gov. JB Pritzker said.

    Brand was paroled in October but was sent back to prison in February after threatening a woman via text. He now faces a murder charge and other violations in connection with Jayden’s death.

    #Clique, what are your thoughts?

  • Man Wins $25,000 Every Year For Life Due To Retailer’s Error, According To Reports

    Man Wins $25,000 Every Year For Life Due To Retailer’s Error, According To Reports

    Michael Sopejstal from Illinois bought a Lucky for Life lottery ticket at the GoLo gas station for 10 or 20 draws however, the retailer accidentally printed a ticket with 10 lines for just one draw, winning him $25,000 a year for life, CNN reported. 

    “I checked my ticket one morning and saw that I had won $25,000 a year for life,”

    he told Lottery officials.

    “I immediately started thinking about all the things I could do with the money and whether I wanted to take the lump sum or annuity option. It was an amazing feeling!”

    The Lottery has recently confirmed that the 60-year-old Sopejstal made a trip to their headquarters to collect his well-deserved winnings. He opted for a single payment of $390,000, rather than receiving $25,000 annually for the next 20 years or the duration of his life, as per the Lottery’s statement. Sopejstal revealed his intentions to utilize the prize money for both traveling purposes and saving for the future. 

    Lucky for Life is a popular game played in nearly 24 states. The prize pool varies from $3 to their top prize of $1,000 per day for life. The game’s website provides detailed information about the overall odds of winning for each specific game. Sopejstal’s odds of securing five white balls on September 17 were calculated to be 1 in over 1.8 million.

    #Clique, what are your thoughts?

  • Mother Arrested After Cops Discovered Her 10-Year-Old Son In Garbage Can In The Garage, Reports Say He Was In The Garage For Seven Months

    Mother Arrested After Cops Discovered Her 10-Year-Old Son In Garbage Can In The Garage, Reports Say He Was In The Garage For Seven Months

    Sadly, last week, a young boy, Zion Staples, was discovered deceased in a Rock Island, Illinois garage at his mom’s home. The mother, 37-year-old Sushi Staples, is currently facing charges, reports PEOPLE. The Rock Island Police Department embarked on an investigation into the death of the 10-year-old last Wednesday, reports TV6. 

    Officials discovered Zion’s body at the residence after reportedly being left in the garage for seven months, according to ABC 6 News. The news outlet reports that officials say the 37-year-old mother has been charged with

    “concealment of a death, failure to report the death of a child under 13, and obstruction of justice.”

    The Quad City Times reports that the boy was hidden in the garbage bin which was inside the garage. An autopsy was conducted and it was determined that the cause of death was

    “suspicious.”

    An unidentified woman whose tip led investigators to discover the boy spoke to TV6. She requested to stay anonymous. She informed the outlet that she called the Department of Children and Family Services over the past couple of months because the mother began saying odd things about the 10-year-old boy. She claimed that the mother told her on Jan. 3 that Christmas won’t be the same anymore. On July 25, the unnamed woman called the DCFS, which led to a welfare check. This eventually caused officials to discover the boy’s body. 

    Neighbors, who recently moved to the area, told the news outlet,

    “We saw that we saw two girls. You know, coming sometimes, like out in the yard. I saw them drawing with chalk in the back driveway…Playing with scooters out in front of the garage, everything seemed really normal.” 

    Staples is currently being held on a $500,000 bond as she awaits her preliminary hearing this month. 

    #Clique, what are your thoughts?

  • Man Accidentally Shot Himself After Dreaming About Intruders In His Home, Now Facing 2 Felony Charges

    Man Accidentally Shot Himself After Dreaming About Intruders In His Home, Now Facing 2 Felony Charges

    An Illinois man was arrested on illegal gun charges after shooting himself in his sleep while dreaming of an intruder in his home, Insider reported. 

    The suspect identified as Mark Dicara, allegedly dreamt of a home invasion and picked up his .357 Magnum revolver while still asleep, accidentally shooting himself in the leg. Police reported to Dicara’s Lake County home Monday night. When they arrived they found him in bed with a

    “significant amount of blood,”

    police said. His leg was placed in a tourniquet and he was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. 

    “The round discharged from the firearm went through Dicara’s leg and lodged itself into Dicara’s bedding.  Fortunately, the round did not travel through a shared wall with Dicara’s neighbors,”

    the press release said. 

    Investigators found that Dicara’s revolver was an unregistered gun. According to the outlet, a Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card, is required in the state of Illinois. 

    Dicara was charged with

    “possession of a firearm without a valid FOID card and reckless discharge of a firearm.”

    He was later released on a $150,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on June 29.

    #Clique, what are your thoughts?