Found Deceased IL - Semaj Crosby, 16 mos, Joliet Township, 25 April 2017

[Kadoober]

LE decided Wednesday that they were going to reset the investigation and start fresh, working from the inside out.

Family and others at the house, not exactly cooperative, but not un cooperative.

 

[Kadoober]

Lawyer was the one who told LE they weren't allowed in the house without a SW.
(so I'm guessing there was a SW)

 

[TTF14]

Caseworker was at the house at 3:20PM and did see Semaj.

According to the family, she went 'missing' an hour later, they looked for 2 hours and then called LE around 6:30PM.
If the family is telling the truth about this (which should be fairly easy to confirm, Mom said they went to the neighbors houses looking for her), then Semaj was dead within an hour of the caseworkers visit.

And if the caseworker is telling the truth about seeing Semaj. Could be that Semaj was "napping" and caseworker didn't actually see her, but adults could tell caseworker might not believe them and might put in the report that Semaj was NOT seen....hence the need to come up with a quick story about her being missing. JMO

 

[Kadoober]

Anita - asking about the dog hits that she was saying earlier gave her the impression that Semaj wasn't taken. Because they were just acting like they went for a walk. No hits.

What about witnesses that said they saw Semaj walking?
They were adults from the neighborhood.

 

[DatelineFan]

It gives me chills to think about having random people (up to 15!) coming in and out of a house where children reside!!

Thanks for all of the updates, everyone!

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[Kadoober]

Do you think the mother was being controlled by family members in any way?
(Anita - asking about Lakereshias interference)

LE - she was pounding on our trailer trying to stop mom from talking, we had to have her removed.

Not sure if she is family or one of these squatters.

 

[skibaboo]

WHOAH Lakerisha was pounding on the side of the trailer trying to get the Mom to stop talking to police when they were trying to talk to her. The look on the officers face said it all

 

[Kadoober]

10 people at the house at the time of the 'incident'

Where did she die?
I can't answer that right now.

How many children there?
4. From age 16 months to 14 years.

 

[perfectingpink]

Do you think the mother was being controlled by family members in any way?
(Anita - asking about Lakereshias interference)

LE - she was pounding on our trailer trying to stop mom from talking, we had to have her removed.

Not sure if she is family or one of these squatters.

:notgood:

 

[Kadoober]

And if the caseworker is telling the truth about seeing Semaj. Could be that Semaj was "napping" and caseworker didn't actually see her, but adults could tell caseworker might not believe them and might put in the report that Semaj was NOT seen....hence the need to come up with a quick story about her being missing. JMO

Per LE just now, DCFS DID actually see her, she was playing outside with other kids.

 

[perfectingpink]

In case anyone missed the press conference:
https://www.facebook.com/Fox32Chicago/videos/10155684703683797/

 

[strawberry]

I guess we can talk about this now. The neighbor guy they just interviewed said the baby was found in the couch, the same couch they were sitting on when talking to police.

https://www.facebook.com/AnitaPadillaFox32Chicago/videos/1087225918087467/

OMG that's awful

 

[Spiritecho]

Autopsy is ongoing. Was hoping it would be completed by now and have COD

Being treated as a suspicious death at this time

There was an initial search of the house on Tuesday but due to witness statements that had seen Semaj outside and witness statements that Semaj had been seen walking down the street they believed she had wandered off.

Won't confirm where the body was found as it's an active investigation, just to say it was inside the residence

The home is described as deplorable

5-15 people live in the residence, most described as squatters

(dear lord)

Then, well IMOO, CPS(Child Protection) should have taken the children long before this, if the house was in that state and all those people. sounds like a drug house. Sad, that once again, an overtired, over worked DCFS investigator missed something...I know the earlier posts said she saw not safety hazards or concerns???
Then he/she had not been in that home.

 

[TTF14]

OMG that's awful

What the ever loving ****!?

And if the housing conditions were deplorable and most folks there were squatters, that caseworker REALLY dropped the ball.

 

[tlcya]

In case anyone missed the press conference:
https://www.facebook.com/Fox32Chicago/videos/10155684703683797/

Thank you. I have added this link to the opening post.

 

[Ontario Mom]

So much for the credible adult witnesses that saw her walking down the sidewalk.

1. It;s been reported she just learned to walk and wasn't very good at it
2. She was in the flippin' couch.

 

[Ontario Mom]

What the ever loving ****!?

And if the housing conditions were deplorable and most folks there were squatters, that caseworker REALLY dropped the ball.

I was just about to say the exact same thing. If the place was that nasty, WHY did the caseworker claim no hazards or safety concerns?

 

[Kadoober]

My guess (and it's only that... just a guess) is that DCFS case workers in the area have their hands really, really full. And that perhaps due to that, families who are not clearly beating or physically abusing their kids and not going to be recommended for further action.

Again... this is just a guess, based on my wondering just what Ontario Mom posted above.

They probably have to prioritize their cases in a manner that would make most of us tear our hair out.

 

[OpusEponymous]

Not all abusive homes are filthy but it does seem to come up time and time again and should be an indication that parenting has been compromised.

Note - I'm going off my own personal childhood experience where a filthy house meant lazy parenting but harsh and excessive discipline, abuse, withholding food as punishment etc.

 

[prallypie]

So much for the credible adult witnesses that saw her walking down the sidewalk.

1. It;s been reported she just learned to walk and wasn't very good at it
2. She was in the flippin' couch.

How many adults would just watch a 1 yr old ramble down the sidewalk alone?

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