Couple pleads guilty in child abuse case, gets probation

A married couple from Schaumburg pleaded guilty Thursday in a Rolling Meadows courtroom to aggravated battery and unlawful restraint of a minor following an incident that occurred last October after the child reportedly stole some candy.

In exchange for their guilty plea, Najeh Shukri and Margarita Lopez, of the 1200 block of Crabtree Lane, received 24 months of felony probation. Shukri, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated battery to a child and Lopez, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful restraint. The court ordered the couple to comply with any conditions, including counseling, that the Department of Children and Family Services might impose, prosecutors said.

The allegations surfaced after school officials noticed a bruise on the child's forehead and called police and DCFS, authorities said. The child remains in DCFS custody, prosecutors said.