Tony M. McCombie, Illinois State Representative from the 89th District | www.ilga.gov
Tony M. McCombie, Illinois State Representative from the 89th District | www.ilga.gov
Illinois State Representative Tony McCombie has raised concerns about the performance of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), arguing that the agency is not meeting its legal obligations regarding transparency in cases involving child deaths or serious injuries.
According to state law established in 1997 and strengthened in 2008, DCFS must publicly release incident-specific reports for every child death or serious injury under its supervision. These reports are intended to include findings and policy recommendations to help prevent future tragedies. However, since 2018, DCFS has reportedly failed to comply with this requirement.
This lack of compliance means that more than 1,200 child deaths and 3,000 serious injuries have not received the mandated public review. Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, who sponsored the original transparency law while serving in the state legislature, commented on the situation: “DCFS’s inaction is reckless, stunning, and irresponsible.”
One case highlighted by McCombie involves Mackenzi Felmlee, an 18-year-old who died in foster care in May 2024. While doctors cited a blood clot as her cause of death, additional details included severe dehydration, multiple bruises across her body, and a weight of just 90 pounds. Despite state law requiring a public report within six months regardless of any ongoing criminal proceedings, DCFS has declined to release information on her case until related legal matters conclude.
McCombie attributes these issues to what she describes as a culture of secrecy and incompetence within DCFS. She also places responsibility on Governor J.B. Pritzker's administration for failing to address these problems effectively.
“The people of Illinois deserve better. Our kids deserve protection, not excuses. It’s time for real accountability, real transparency, and real leadership,” McCombie said.
She concluded with a call for immediate action: “Enough excuses. Investigate. Report. Reform. Fix DCFS—or get out of the way.”
McCombie was elected as a Republican representative for Illinois’ 89th House District in 2023 after succeeding Andrew Chesney.
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