Lawsuit Alleges Abuse at Aunt Martha's Integrated Care Center; Former Manager Convicted

According to the Chicago Tribune, a former resident sued Aunt Martha's Health and Wellness and A-Alert Security Services in Cook County Circuit Court in late May 2026, alleging they failed to protect her from repeated sexual abuse and grooming while she was a minor in their care in early 2024, despite what the complaint describes as obvious indicators of misconduct.¹ These are allegations; they have not been proven in court. An attorney for Aunt Martha's declined to comment on the pending litigation, and efforts to reach A-Alert representatives were unsuccessful.¹

In March 2026, a Cook County jury found former Aunt Martha's manager Trulon Henry guilty of multiple sexual-assault charges, including predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, involving youth at the facility.² Henry — a former University of Illinois football player hired despite a prior felony conviction — has, through his attorney, filed a motion for a new trial, which remains pending.^2,1

Antonio Hopkins, a security guard employed at the facility through A-Alert, faces criminal charges related to alleged abuse of a minor and later failed to appear for a court hearing. These remain charges, not convictions; he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.^3,4,5

Aunt Martha's reportedly raised concerns about A-Alert as early as 2022, including complaints — per state emails reviewed by Injustice Watch — that guards behaved unprofessionally and disrupted therapy.^5,2 Over the center's roughly five and a half years of operation, DCFS logged 3,850 "unusual incident" reports — filed when residents were physically aggressive toward peers or staff — and Chicago police reported 175 cases of alleged battery at the center since 2019.⁵

DCFS reportedly began investigating in August 2023 but did not stop placing children there until May 2024, shortly before the June 2024 closure.^6,5

Aunt Martha's ICC was a DCFS-contracted foster-care/residential facility for state wards — not a juvenile detention center. Former residents who experienced abuse may have civil options separate from the criminal cases. Illinois law gives many survivors of childhood sexual abuse extended time to come forward — the only way to know your options is a free, confidential review. Slater Slater Schulman LLP offers confidential, no-obligation reviews.

Confidential review: Aunt Martha's landing page