Dad investigated in death of 8-month-old son; dad previously investigated for child abuse in June (Chicago, Illinois)

UNNAMED DAD. Notice that "other relatives" now have the care of the surviving child.

Also notice that there is no mention of a mother in this story in any way, shape, or form. Did a mother even live in this home? If she is the "other relative" that now has custody, why isn't it said so in plain English? Maybe because she didn't get custody? But there's no mention here of her being under suspicion of abuse either. So is this a single custodial father? Why all the mystery and ambiguity? And why was Dad's previous child abuse history ignored?

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-09-25/news/chi-childs-death-prompts-police-dcfs-investigation-20120924_1_jimmie-whitelow-state-and-contractual-workers-review-of-child-death

Child's death prompts police, DCFS investigation

September 25, 2012|By Rosemary R. Sobol | Tribune reporter

Police and state child welfare authorities are investigating the Monday death of an 8-month-old baby boy who was found unresponsive at his home in the Parkway Gardens neighborhood on the South Side.

Police were called to home in the 6300 block of South King Drive about 3:30 p.m. to assist paramedics with an unresponsive infant, said Police News Affairs Officer Veejay Zala.

The baby, identified as 8-month-old Jayshaun Stronge, was found in a bathtub at his home and was taken to University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 3:44 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

The child's father was bathing the child when he left the boy alone for an unknown amount of time, police said. The baby’s death has prompted fresh abuse allegations against his father, who was investigated for allegedly abusing the same child in June, said Illinois Department of Children and Family Services spokesman Jimmie Whitelow.

“DCFS has had prior contact with the family based on an indicated allegation of abuse against the father in June of 2012,’’ Whitelow said.

Support services were provided to the family in late June, he added.

Another child who was in the home has been moved to the care of other relatives, said Whitelow.

Area Central detectives are conducting a death investigation, said Zala, who added no arrests have been made.

Jayshaun’s autopsy is scheduled for later today.

A Tribune review of child death cases with prior agency involvement that was published on Sunday found state and contractual workers who made serious errors, broke rules and falsified notes.