Cook County Public Guardian accuses DCFS of withholding information in death of Round Lake Beach child

Calls for answers in 8-year-old's death in Round Lake Beach

The Cook County Public Guardian's Office is criticizing DCFS in the case of 8-year-old Markell Pierce.

ROUND LAKE BEACH, Ill. - The Cook County Public Guardian is calling out the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services for withholding information in the case of 8-year-old Markell Pierce, who was found dead in his home.

What we know:

Pierce’s mother and her boyfriend are facing criminal charges for alleged long-term mental and physical abuse. A preliminary autopsy indicated the child showed signs of malnourishment.

DCFS has said the family was not receiving services and that state law and confidentiality rules prevent them from releasing further details during the ongoing investigation.

Charles Golbert of the Cook County Public Guardian said that explanation is "unacceptable and untrue." He pointed out that Illinois law allows DCFS to release information when a child has died, been critically injured, or when parents face criminal charges, all of which apply in this case.

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Golbert said it is unclear whether DCFS ever had prior involvement with the family because the agency has refused to answer questions, despite past cases where DCFS has provided timelines after high-profile child deaths, including AJ Freund, Ja’hir Gibbons, and Navin Jones.

"After pressure, they have, in fact, released timelines in other cases and those timelines often showed failures on their part," Golbert said.

What they're saying:

"Our number one priority is to get justice for Markell. While we have reached the conclusion that he was murdered by the two defendants, we are still gathering facts about the timeline around his death. DCFS is legally permitted to release information in light of a child’s death. And it is appropriate to speak with our office to make sure that such public release is accurate and does not compromise the independent investigation of the Round Lake Beach Police Department. In fact, the Abused & Neglected Child Reporting Act requires such consultation. I must emphasize that police are still meeting with witnesses. Public releases may impact those interviews. The public is right to expect an effective investigation into Markell’s death and government transparency about the past. We can and must have both," the Lake County State's Attorney said in a statement. 

What's next:

Fox Chicago has also reached out to the governor’s office, which oversees DCFS, to see if additional information can be released about the case. We have not heard back.