GARY, Ind. — A Department of Children and Family Services spokesperson confirms with WGN News that officials had contact with the family of Damari Perry at least twice before the 6-year-old’s body was found last week in Gary, Indiana.
DCFS officials visited the Perry family once in 2021 and previously in 2014.
DCFS visited family of slain 6-year-old North Chicago boy twice before death | WGN-TV
Damari Perry, the North Chicago child who authorities say was killed the day before his sixth birthday, was literally born into the foster care system, according to Illinois Department of Children and Family Services records.
The boy’s mother, Jannie M. Perry, who is charged in Damari’s death, lost custody of her six other children in 2014 after a DCFS domestic violence investigation, department spokesman Bill McCaffrey said Monday. Shortly after Damari was born on Dec. 30, 2015, he also went into foster care. DCFS records show that Perry regained custody of her children in 2017.
In May 2021, the spokesman said, DCFS investigated an allegation of abuse or neglect involving Damari, but the report was later determined to be unfounded.
North Chicago mom who’s charged in young son’s death had lost custody of children from 2014 until 2017 after domestic violence probe, DCFS says