Court Opinion

ID: 9529973
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 03:56:02.084423+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:27:58.104542
License: Public Domain

PRESIDING JUSTICE SCHMIDT, specially concurring: I concur, but write separately to point out that I believe the finding by DCFS that the child was injured “by other than accidental means” was against the manifest weight of the evidence. Therefore, DCFS did not even meet the threshold requirement for an indication of abuse. The statute clearly provides that a child is abused when a person responsible for the child’s welfare injures a child “other than by accidental means.” 325 ILCS 5/3(a), (b) (West 2004). It seems obvious that the injury to K.C. occurred accidentally as plaintiff was attempting to subdue the child. DCFS argues that the injury was not accidental because the plaintiff was intentionally trying to subdue the child. I find that argument to be equivalent to arguing that any motorist involved in an automobile crash is guilty of intentional conduct because he or she intentionally drove the car.