Last week marked a significant moment of relief for a young woman who had been sexually assaulted by a manager at a South Side foster facility. The manager received a 30-year prison sentence, bringing some sense of justice for his victims.
Yadira Escamilla, who was one of the victims, expressed her anxiety during the legal proceedings but felt content with the outcome. “Initially it was nerve-wracking because I didn’t know how things were gonna go,” she shared. “When the sentencing came, I was just happy that he actually got some time.” Cook County Judge Ursula Walowski sentenced Trulon Henry to 30 years in prison after a court found him guilty of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child under 13, including charges against three children.
Escamilla filed a lawsuit against Aunt Martha’s Health and Wellness and A-Alert Security Services, the nonprofit and security contractor that managed the foster facility. She recounted being placed in a basement room without windows or security cameras, where Henry first restrained and assaulted her when she was 17.
Despite seeing the inappropriate situation during an assault, a staff member did not report or investigate the incident. Escamilla feared reporting Henry due to previous unaddressed complaints. His abuse persisted from January to April 2024 during his overnight shifts.
While Escamilla felt relief about the verdict, she believed Henry deserved more time. He received four years per count for criminal sexual assault and six additional years for predatory sexual assault, sentences that run consecutively.
The court’s decision required Escamilla to revisit painful memories, but she was committed to pursuing justice for herself and others. A motion for a new trial by Henry’s public defender was rejected, but the waiting process caused stress for Escamilla.
In her victim impact statement, Escamilla highlighted the severe effects the abuse had on her mental health. “I do try to continue to push to heal those wounds, but mainly I want awareness to prevent similar incidents,” she stated. “I made reports, and wish they were taken seriously from the beginning.”
Escamilla’s attorney, Margaret Battersby Black, reflected on the sentence as reaffirming Escamilla’s credibility, which strengthens their civil case. The lawsuit charges Aunt Martha’s and A-Alert Security with failing to protect Escamilla despite clear misconduct indicators. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services was also named as a defendant.
Aunt Martha’s hired Henry, a former football player with a felony armed robbery conviction, to work with at-risk youth. His criminal history was publicized during his college football tenure. The nonprofit declined previous comments and was unavailable Monday. The organization denies many allegations in official filings.