Supervisor denies DCFS workers were ‘lazy’ at endangerment trial

Andrew"AJ" Freund plays with toy cars at a family event in McHenry County. AJ was placed in a foster home at birth because he was born with drugs in his system, but his parents worked to regain custody.

The cross-examination challenged prosecutors’ narrative that former Department of Children and Family Services investigator Carlos Acosta and his supervisor, Andrew Polovin, failed to prevent AJ’s death by abuse from his mother in 2019.Acosta and Polovin each are charged with child endangerment and reckless conduct, relating to their investigation of an incident that occurred about four months before AJ was fatally beaten at his home in Crystal Lake.

Under questioning from defense attorney Rebecca Lee, the defendants’ former regional supervisor, Carol Ruzicka, now retired, acknowledged that the case file referenced police and medical reports detailing prior incidents involving Cunningham, despite prior testimony that the defendants failed to document such issues.

Questioned by Polovin’s attorney, Matthew McQuaid, Ruzicka acknowledged that Polovin gave extensive written directions to Acosta on how to handle the case, such as questioning how AJ actually got hurt and how the parents disciplined him, to get photos, police reports and a medical exam, assess any health or safety hazards and potentially refer for services.

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