DCFS worker fatally stabbed during home visit
SPRINGFIELD - Sangamon County authorities are holding a Thayer man suspected in the stabbing death of an Illinois Department of Children and Family Services worker.
Police arrived at the home in Thayer - a small town 20 miles south of Springfield - in response to a 911 call at 4:11 p.m. on Tuesday reporting a possible stabbing. After arriving at the scene, law enforcement spotted a blood-like substance near the door of the home. Officers forced their way into the house and found Deidre Silas, 36, who died from her injuries.
Silas had gone to the home to check the welfare of children.
Detectives arrived and obtained a search warrant for the home. Suspect Benjamin Howard Reed, 32, was located at a hospital in Decatur, where he sought treatment for a minor wound about two hours after the initial 911 call. He was questioned by detectives at the hospital and then taken to the Sangamon County jail. Reed has been charged with first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
Silas worked as an investigator for DCFS for about six months. She previously also worked for the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice. She graduated from Illinois State University in 2008 with a degree in criminal justice. She received her master's degree in public administration in 2019.
"Deidre responded to this call and dedicated herself to the children, families and communities she served, and we will be forever grateful for her work. She was an incredible person, and her brightness and positivity will be missed not only by her family and friends, but also her second family at DCFS," agency Director Marc D. Smith said.
In the wake of the news of Silas' death, Gov. J.B. Pritzker released a statement, saying: "There is no higher calling than the work to keep children and families safe and Deidre lived that value every single day. Our most vulnerable are safer because she chose to serve. I can think of no more profound legacy."
Roberta Lynch, the executive director for the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Council 31, said in a statement that the union would review the facts and press for any necessary changes to DCFS operations.
"Deidre dedicated her career to helping young people. Prior to joining DCFS in August 2021 she worked in behavioral health and for more than seven years with the Department of Juvenile Justice, where she was a union steward," Lynch said. "This tragedy is a stark reminder that front-line DCFS employees like Deidre do demanding, dangerous and essential jobs every day, often despite inadequate resources and tremendous stress."