The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services received nearly 250-thousand calls to its hotline last year, with tips about possible child abuse. DCFS Spokesman Dave Clarkin says those calls could be the difference between life and death for tens of thousands of kids across the state. He says more often than not, someone in the family is aware that a child is being mistreated but for some reason, many cases go unreported. Twenty-two babies in Illinois died as a result of homicide in 2012. Clarkin urges anyone who witnesses abuse or neglect to call the hotline at1-800-25-Abuse.
