A Sangamon County judge held the director of the state’s child protective agency in contempt of court Thursday for the department’s ongoing mishandling of a records request by Capitol News Illinois.
Judge Jack Davis ruled Director Heidi Mueller’s Department of Children and Family Services violated his June 10 order requiring DCFS to release personnel records for two caseworkers involved in the death of Mackenzi Felmlee, and pay attorney costs, fees and a $5,000 civil penalty within 30 days.
The order came after DCFS attorneys failed to appear at multiple hearings. Mueller took the witness stand on Thursday and blamed a long series of missteps by DCFS administrative employees for why the department failed to appear.
