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A Lake County judge said Diaz could not be detained under
provisions of the SAFE-T Act.
State Sen. Darby Hills, R-Barrington Hills, said the case is
alarming to her as a mom and former Cook County prosecutor.
“I believe any crime involving the abuse or exploitation of a
child should be a detainable offense under the SAFE-T Act,”
Hills told The Center Square.
Hills said protecting children must be the priority.
“Allowing someone that has exploited or abused a child to be let
out back on the streets is just unacceptable,” Hills said.
September 18 was the three-year anniversary of the SAFE-T Act’s
provision to eliminate cash bail in Illinois and reform pretrial
detention procedures.
Following the allegations in Mundelein, Hills renewed her push
for legislation that requires people convicted of sexually
motivated and unauthorized recordings of minors to register as
sex offenders.
Hills said Diaz would not currently have to register as a sex
offender if convicted.
“And he could go on without the public knowing what he has been
charged and convicted of,” Hills said.
Hills said Senate Bill 2381 would close a loophole in state law.
“My original bill, 2381, was filed based on a similar situation
where a teacher in Chicago was videotaping children in the
bathroom, including a child with disabilities, and using that
for sexual purposes,” Hills said.
Hills said the individual did not have to register as a sex
offender and then went to another school and hurt more children.
Hills is facing a campaign challenge for her state Senate seat
from state Rep. Nabeela Syed, D-Palatine. Syed’s campaign did
not immediately respond to The Center Square’s request for
comment.
When asked about the taxpayer cost of child sex abuse
investigations, prosecutions and court proceedings, Hills said
she did not have an exact number, but “it’s a large amount.”
Hills said the cost of the trauma to children and families never
goes away.
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