A look into Illinois boy's short life reveals a series of injustices
The welfare worker did not go out to the home because the cause of the bruise was undetermined. The house was so bad that the police also called a building inspector who was denied entry into the home. This usually means someone thought the home was unsafe for occupancy or in bad enough condition to be condemned. This was another missed chance to get him out of the home.
But months later, authorities were called to the family's home again. This time, they saw more signs of neglect.
One officer found dog feces and urine scattered in the home in December, according to
a police report.
During that visit, the officer reported a suspicious bruise on one of the children. But a welfare worker couldn't determine whether it was the result of abuse, the report said. Someone at the house said it may have been caused by a dog.
Police described broken windows and a strong smell of feces in the area where AJ and his younger brother slept.
One officer contacted Crystal Lake Building and Zoning to inspect the home.
"Upon arrival B&Z was denied entry into the residence," the officer wrote.