CHICAGO (AP) — The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services has opened 24 new investigations into alleged misconduct by Catholic priests amid concerns that cases turned over by the Archdiocese of Chicago weren’t properly reviewed.
The Chicago Tribune reported Wednesday that the archdiocese turned over more than 1,000 cases under a 2006 agreement requiring it to notify the agency every time it became aware of an abuse allegation, even if the accuser was no longer a minor.
The 24 new investigations involve adults who came forward years after the alleged abuse occurred. The cases were flagged as needing further investigation, and acting agency Director Marc Smith said he was uncertain whether it properly reviewed all of them.
The agency is trying to determine whether those accused might still have access to children.
