Defending Families Against DCFS

Illinois
July 29th, 2025

A caseworker for an Illinois foster child who later died had orders of protection filed against her by eight women for allegedly harassing, abusing, and threatening violence against them.

The caseworker, who was employed by Lutheran Child and Family Services, is now employed by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

The foster child, Mackenzi Felmlee, 18, was subjected to cruelty before her death in May 2024, according to search warrants released in the case.

DCFS still refuses to release a report regarding Felmlee’s treatment.

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Caseworker for foster child who later died had troubling history, documents show Illinois DCFS caseworker with troubling past linked to foster teen Mackenzi Felmlee’s death investigation.

Illinois
July 21st, 2025

Mackenzi Felmlee fell through the safety net of doctors, judges, lawyers, social workers, teachers, child welfare organizations and the state agency charged with protecting abused and neglected children in Illinois until she was found bruised and struggling to breathe at the bottom of the basement stairs in a Fairview Heights foster home.
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‘The public deserves to know.’ State agency withholds details in girl’s death The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services has refused to release a timeline or reports detailing their actions in the case — despite a law that requires DCFS to make findings and recommendations available when a child dies or is seriously injured in its care.

Georgia
March, 2025

About 41% of Georgia children removed to foster care were taken partly because of caretaker alcohol or drug abuse, according to the most recent year of federal statistics. For Georgia children under the age of one in foster care, 61% were removed for parental drug or alcohol abuse as a factor, higher than the national average.

Georgia DFCS relied on controversial laboratory for drug tests crucial to custody decisions - The Current Investigation reveals how Georgia child welfare agency DFCS handled allegations against its drug testing provider, Averhealth, after whistleblower complaint and false claims probe by Department of Justice. The allegations of testing issues occurred during the time a Camden County mother tested posit...