Personal Injury Law

$10M Illinois Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against LeRoy Police Over Delay in Issuing Amber Alert Goes to Federal Court

Amy Leichtenberg?s $10 million Illinois wrongful death lawsuit against LeRoy police and several of its officers has gone to federal court in Peoria. The attorneys for the defendants had requested the change because some of the allegations of wrongdoing are federal issues.

Leichtenberg sons, 9-year-old Duncan and 7-year-old, were killed by their father, Michael Connolly, in March 2009. Connolly did not bring the boys back after a weekend visit.

LeRoy police requested that Bloomington police look in on the boys at Connolly?s apartment, which is in Bloomington. After failing to find the boys, the Bloomington police asked state police to issue an Amber Alert. LeRoy police then asked that the nationwide alert be recalled. It wasn't until 26 hours after the boys were reported missing and Leichtenberg's lawyer contacted the McLean County State's Attorney and the McLean County Sheriff's Department that the Amber Alert was issued again.

The boys' bodies were found in Connolly?s car several weeks later. He had fatally drugged his sons before committing suicide.

According to Leichtenberg?s Illinois wrongful death complaint, the delay in issuing the alert allowed Connolly to freely travel through the state for several hours with his two sons. If the first alert had been allowed to go through, she contends that Connolly may have been apprehended. She also says that LeRoy police were aware of over 50 complaints regarding Connolly?s conduct and knew that he was potentially dangerous.

Mom's suit over sons' deaths moved to fed court, KWQC, August 17, 2010

Mother of slain LeRoy boys files $10M lawsuit against city, police, Pantagraph.com, March 10, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Illinois Amber Alert

Illinois Wrongful Death Act

Full post as published by Chicago Injury Attorney Blog on August 20, 2010 (boomark / email).