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Homewood resident at public comment alleges police search and removal of infant, requests transparency
Summary
During public comment a Homewood resident said police executed a search warrant at her home Dec. 16, detained her, removed her 4-month-old grandson and questioned her 15-year-old at school; she said Cook County records show no juvenile case and asked the board for accountability.
At the public-comment period of the Jan. 13 Village of Homewood meeting, resident Tja Harper told the board she was detained at her home on Dec. 16 when the Homewood Police Department executed a search in connection with a DCFS investigation and that her 4-month-old grandson was removed from her care.
Harper, who identified herself as a Homewood resident and an electrical engineer, said she called police on Dec. 10 to request EMT assistance for her daughter, who has a history of bipolar disorder and postpartum depression. Harper said a DCFS investigator previously inspected her home and had determined it was a safe placement for the infant. She said she was not given a copy of the warrant at the time and that she later confirmed with the Cook County Juvenile Court Clerk that no juvenile case had ever been opened for the child.
"To this day, I have not been told where he is or who legally has custody of him," Harper said. She also said a detective removed her 15-year-old son from school during a final exam and questioned him without a parent present; the teen later was referred to counseling, she said. She asked the board for transparency and assurance that Homewood residents’ constitutional rights are being respected.
The mayor interrupted to enforce a time limit; Harper said she would continue the matter at the next meeting. No substantive response from Chief Tom Johnson or village staff was recorded on the transcript during the public-comment period; the mayor invited her to continue the issue at a subsequent meeting.
Context and next steps: Harper described interactions with police, DCFS and the juvenile court clerk but did not identify any court filings or provide documentation at the meeting. The board did not take immediate action; Harper said she will return to a future meeting to continue her public comment.
The first reference to Harper included her full self-identification as heard at the meeting; the village has not recorded a public reply or a formal investigation outcome in the Jan. 13 transcript.
