In a harrowing case that underscores the vulnerabilities within the foster care system, a former ward has taken legal action against those he claims failed him during his time in foster care. Robert Bettis filed a complaint on April 2, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Alicia Wembley and Hanna Janell, alleging violations of his constitutional rights due to abuse and neglect.
The lawsuit recounts the troubling experiences of Bettis between 2006 and 2007 while under the guardianship of Edna Childress, a foster parent affiliated with Aunt Martha’s Health & Wellness. Bettis alleges that during this period, he was subjected to severe physical abuse, including beatings with household objects and food deprivation. He also endured psychological torment such as being forced to gargle bleach. Despite reporting these abuses to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (IDCFS), Bettis claims that case managers Alicia Wembley and Hanna Janell neglected their duties by failing to conduct adequate investigations or take remedial actions. "Their failure constitutes a breach of fiduciary and statutory duties," states Bettis in his complaint.
Bettis argues that these actions amount to deliberate indifference under the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. He further contends that both state administrative regulations and common law were violated when Wembley and Janell did not act upon his reports. Citing landmark cases like DeShaney v. Winnebago County Department of Social Services, Bettis asserts that this neglect represents egregious constitutional deprivations.
The plaintiff seeks declaratory relief affirming that his rights were violated, alongside injunctive relief mandating improved oversight measures by IDCFS for future foster placements. Moreover, Bettis demands compensatory damages amounting to at least $20 million for physical, emotional, and psychological harm suffered. He also seeks punitive damages totaling no less than $10 million against individual defendants who acted with malice or reckless disregard for his rights.
Representing himself pro se in this significant legal battle, Robert Bettis is seeking justice not only for himself but potentially setting a precedent for other victims within the foster care system. The case is presided over by Judge Jorge L. Alonso with Magistrate Judge Maria Valdez assisting. The official Case ID is 1:25-cv-03577.