DCFS Named in Multi-Million-Dollar Lawsuit Over Alleged Sexual Abuse at South Side Foster Care Facility

A young woman who says she was sexually abused as a teenager while in state foster care has added the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to a multi-million-dollar lawsuit, accusing the agency of turning a blind eye to a facility she and her attorneys have called a "house of horrors."

The Allegations

Yadiera Escamilla, now 20, alleges she was sexually abused at age 17 while housed at a foster care facility operated by Aunt Martha's Health and Wellness at 5001 S. Michigan Avenue on Chicago's South Side. The lawsuit — filed with the help of nationally recognized civil rights attorney Ben Crump and Chicago-based firm Levin & Perconti — names DCFS, Aunt Martha's, and A-Alert Security, the private security company whose employee carried out the abuse.

In March, 41-year-old Trulon Henry, a security worker at the facility, was found guilty on multiple charges of sexual assault and the grooming of minors. He is currently appealing his conviction.

A Pattern of Ignored Warnings

Attorneys for Escamilla say the warning signs were impossible to miss. Between 2018 and 2024, more than 3,000 unusual incident reports were filed with DCFS regarding the Aunt Martha's facility. Police were called to the building 175 times during that same period.

Despite that documented history, attorneys argue that DCFS failed to intervene and protect the children in its care. In a statement read on her behalf at a press conference, Escamilla said, "By the time foster children like me are in the system, we have already been through so much trauma and abuse. We need help and protection. What hurts the most is that DCFS knew what was going on and didn't stop it or take steps to protect us."

"People looked the other way, and the State of Illinois seemed to be asleep at the wheel," Crump said at the press conference.

Facility Shut Down, Investigation Underway

Aunt Martha's stopped accepting new foster cases in May 2024 and was officially shut down by Governor JB Pritzker the following month. The closure, however, has done little to ease concerns about broader accountability within the state's child welfare system.

Both DCFS and Aunt Martha's declined to comment on the amended lawsuit, citing pending litigation. A-Alert Security could not be reached for comment.

Escamilla's attorneys say she continues to suffer significant emotional trauma stemming from her time at the facility.

What Comes Next

With high-profile legal representation and a growing body of documented complaints, the case is poised to place intense scrutiny on how Illinois monitors and protects children in state-supervised care. Crump vowed to pursue full accountability: "We are going to make sure she receives the justice she deserves until every institution that houses vulnerable children understands that there are consequences when they fail our children."

The outcome of the lawsuit could have far-reaching implications for how DCFS oversees private foster care operators across Illinois — and whether systemic reforms will follow.