A Maywood woman and her partner are being held on $2 million bond each on charges that they viciously abused her 11-month-old daughter.
Mozelle Brown, 36, the girl's mother, and Terry Stockley, 38, were arrested on Dec. 20 after seeking help for the girl because she wasn't breathing, said Patti Simone, spokeswoman for the Cook County State's Attorney.
The girl was taken to Loyola University Medical Center, where doctors called Maywood police after finding evidence of child abuse. The girl suffered two broken arms, a broken leg and fractured ribs. She had cuts, scratches and burns covering her torso and genitalia, and nearly 400 scars. Some of the burns appeared to be from cigarettes, while others were immersion burns that indicated she had been covered in boiling fluid. She is also missing fingernails.
Authorities have said a dispute between the girl's mother and partner may be a motive behind the abuse, which took place from August until December.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported last week that the baby was born at Westlake Community Hospital in Melrose Park last January while Brown was involved with another woman, whose name appears on the birth certificate.
Brown and Stockley have been charged with multiple counts of aggravated battery to a child and heinous battery.
Lisa Tonna, director of information and referral for Horizons Community Services, said that little data currently exists about the prevalence of child abuse in GLBT-headed families.
"I can't imagine that this ( child abuse ) happens more in the LGBT community, but I would be hesitant to say it happens less," she said, noting that the rates of domestic violence among same-sex partners mirrors that of heterosexual couples.
She said Horizons does not specifically work with child abuse cases unless the child seeks help through the agency's youth program. As with domestic violence, she cited the importance of reporting incidents to authorities and raising awareness.
"Our community has to step up and do something," she said, adding that if people are unwilling to report abuse themselves, they can report it to Horizons staff, who are mandated by law to notify authorities. The number for the state's child abuse hotline is ( 800 ) 25-ABUSE; Horizons' Anti-Violence Project can be reached at ( 773 ) 871-CARE.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Brown has three other children, ages 7, 9, and 11, and Stockley has two other children, ages 12 and 7, all of whom were living with the couple. The children had been living with relatives since their mothers' arrests, but were taken into protective custody by the Department of Children and Family Services last week.
The Tribune also reported that DCFS investigated the family in March 1999 after receiving reports of child neglect. Social services were arranged for the family, and the case was closed in November of 1999.
DCFS is also looking into whether any of the other children have been abused.
The next court date for the women is Jan. 19.
Donations to benefit the child, who late last week was still in critical condition at Loyola, can be made to:
First Suburban National Bank
Attn.: Jewel Davis
2100 W. Roosevelt
Broadview, 60155.