ILLINOIS FOSTER CARE SEXUAL ABUSE LAWSUITS

Fighting for Victims of Sexual Abuse in Foster Care & Group Homes in Illinois

It is devastating when vulnerable children in foster care are sexually abused by the adults they rely on for care, love and support.  The stories of abuse, negligence, and systemic failure demand more than fleeting outrage—they require action. 

In a world where justice often feels out of reach for the most vulnerable, Levy Konigsberg stands as a relentless advocate for those who have been wronged. 

History of Sexual Abuse in Illinois Foster Care and Group Homes

Examples of alleged abuse, and of conditions likely to lead to abuse within Illinois foster care and group homes, include the following:

• In July 2024, Trulon Henry, a former college football player and manager at a Chicago integrated care facility called Aunt Martha’s Integrated Care Center, was charged with allegedly sexually abusing a foster child in his care. Henry was hired to work at the facility despite a prior armed robbery conviction.  It was reported at the same time that there were also about 170 other pending investigations involving Aunt Martha’s Integrated Care Center. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services reportedly began investigating the case in August of 2023, but didn’t stop sending kids there until May of 2024.

• In February 2024, Antonio Hopkins, a contracted security worker, was charged with allegedly abusing a child at the same facility, Aunt Martha’s Integrated Care Center. Hopkins allegedly groped the 14-year-old victim multiple times. 

• In April 2023, it was reported that the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) approved placing a teenage sex trafficking victim with Erick Johnson, a foster dad and alleged habitual criminal with past robbery, gun convictions, and a history of domestic violence for beating another teenage girl.  Shortly after becoming the teen’s foster dad, Johnson was arrested for allegedly running an online prostitution business from the same apartment where he was supposed to care for the foster child.

• In May 2000, Cook County Public Guardian Patrick T. Murphy filed a $1.5 million lawsuit against Aunt Martha’s Intergrated Care Center, alleging it grossly violated state regulations when workers neglected to monitor two children who endured severe physical and sexual abuse while under the agency’s care.

Do I Have a Case?

You may have grounds to file a civil legal action if you were sexually abused in a foster care home.

As civil claims, these cases are separate from any criminal proceedings that may arise from abuse and focus instead on holding institutions liable for damages. This means you may still have a claim even if:

• Your abuser is no longer alive.
• Your abuser was never charged with or convicted of a crime.

Recoverable Damages in Sexual Abuse Claims

In addition to providing accountability and a sense of justice, civil sex abuse lawsuits allow survivors to recover financial compensation for their damages, which may include:

• Past medical and mental health expenses
• Future mental health expenses, including therapy, medications, etc.
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional anguish and psychological harm
• Lost income
• Other economic and non-economic damages

Illinois Sexual Abuse Attorneys

Sexual abuse lawsuits, like other claims brought by plaintiffs who seek damages for injuries, are subject to a legal deadline known as the statute of limitations. When the statute of limitations expires, victims will not be able to file a claim or recover compensation.

Determining the statute of limitations in your claim can be challenging, as there are many factors to consider. In Illinois, the statute of limitations for civil sexual abuse claims brought by victims who were abused as minors is generally as follows:

• Claims brought by survivors of childhood sexual abuse (abuse that occurred when the victim was under 18 years of age) may be commenced at any time for victims who were born on or after July 24, 1983.

Levy Konigsberg is actively investigating allegations of sexual abuse at any Illinois foster home.

We are here for survivors of sexual abuse in foster care—listening, supporting, and fighting for justice. Every child deserves safety, and we are committed to holding those who failed them accountable while working toward a future where no child has to endure such pain.