Illinois investigated home of starved 6-year-old boy in 2016

By iNFOTEL
November 09 2017 08:30 AM

CP1146369934 — This undated photo provided by the Jersey County States Attorney in Jerseyville, Ill shows Georgena Roberts. Roberts and her husband Michael Roberts have been charged with first-degree murder in the starvation death of their 6-year-old boy, who authorities said weighed 17 pounds. Jerseyville police say officers responded to a hospital Friday, Nov. 3, 2017, to investigate the death of a malnourished child. They\'re being held on 00,000 bond. (Jersey County States Attorney via AP)

JERSEYVILLE, Ill. – Illinois child welfare officials say they received a hotline call about a 6-year-old Jerseyville boy’s home nearly two years before he starved to death.

The St. Louis Post Dispatch reports that Illinois Department of Children and Family Services launched an investigation after a January 2016 hotline caller “alleged inadequate food in the home.”

Agency spokeswoman Alissandra Calderon says a pediatric specialist found the child’s low weight was a result of a medical condition and “the investigation was closed as unfounded.”

The boy’s father and stepmother, Michael and Georgena Roberts, were charged with first-degree murder and child endangerment after the boy died last week weighing 17 pounds (7.7 kilograms).

Jersey County State’s Attorney Benjamin Goetten said authorities don’t believe the boy was malnourished due to a medical condition. He didn’t elaborate.

___

Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com

News from © iNFOnews.ca, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.