Eight-year-old Amaria Osby was killed on May 25, 2022, by her biological mother, Andreal Hagler, in their Uptown neighborhood apartment in Chicago. Hagler, who was under the influence of PCP, first attempted to make Amaria drink bleach; when the child refused, Hagler placed a plastic bag over Amaria's head and held her down as the girl screamed for her to stop. Hagler told police she killed her daughter because she believed the child loved her father more. After killing Amaria, Hagler attempted suicide by drinking bleach and placing a bag over her own head. Hagler's brother-in-law found the two in bed the next morning and called 911; Amaria was pronounced dead and Hagler survived. An autopsy determined Amaria died from multiple injuries sustained during an assault, with injuries consistent with asphyxiation. DCFS had received a hotline report about the family two months earlier but failed to make contact for 61 days despite regulations requiring daily attempts; an investigator finally visited the day before Amaria's death and noted no concerns.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
The medical examiner report (ME2022-05549.pdf) lists the primary cause of death as "MULTIPLE INJURIES. ASSAULT." The Sun-Times article states that "An autopsy determined she had died from injuries suffered during an assault and also had injuries consistent with asphyxiation." The father, in the CBS article, stated he saw "bruises on her face" and "on Amaria's back," saying "That lets me know her mother was beating her." The mother suffocated the child by placing a plastic bag over her head while holding her down. CBS News reports: "Hagler covered Amaria's head with a plastic bag as her daughter shouted, 'Mommy, stop!'"
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
The Sun-Times article describes a 2017 incident: "The agency's first contact with the family was in 2017 when Hagler was arrested for DUI and child endangerment after crashing on the Eisenhower Expressway near Peoria Street." Amaria, age 3 at the time, was in the back seat of the vehicle during the crash.
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
The Sun-Times article explicitly states the mother killed Amaria and "also tried to kill herself." Specifically: "Hagler, who had drunk bleach, then put the bag over her own head and lay next to her daughter on the bed." This is a murder-suicide attempt where the mother succeeded in killing the child but survived her own suicide attempt.
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Multiple sources confirm the biological mother, Andreal Hagler, killed Amaria. The CBS article states: "Andreal Hagler told police on camera that she suffocated her with a plastic bag." The News-Gazette states: "Andrea Hagler, Amaria's mother, won't be there. She is charged with the first-degree murder of her daughter."
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Multiple sources document a history of child protection reports. The News-Gazette article states: "DCFS has been involved with the family since Amaria was three... On Sept. 8, 2017, a report to the child abuse hotline came in alleging neglect after Hagler was arrested for driving under the influence and child endangerment." Then: "on March 23, 2022, the DCFS hotline received a call reporting that Amaria was being neglected." The CBS article confirms an investigator was assigned after the March 2022 hotline report, and the Sun-Times states DCFS "opened an investigation into Amaria's 'substantial risk of physical injury' and 'neglect.'"
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
The News-Gazette states: "She is charged with the first-degree murder of her daughter." The Sun-Times states: "Hagler, 38, was treated at Weiss Memorial Hospital and charged with first-degree murder."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The March 2022 DCFS hotline call stemmed from domestic violence between Amaria's parents. The CBS (timeline) article states: "This allegation stemmed from Amaria allegedly witnessing a domestic violence incident between the mother and father in a public setting." The News-Gazette corroborates: "The call came after a domestic violence incident between Amaria's parents at a Chicago restaurant."
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
The Cook County Public Guardian explicitly stated mental health services were needed: "This is a case that screamed out for the need for family and mental health services" and "If DCFS did what they needed to do, and went out every day in March with services for mental health, we would have had a very different outcome." Additionally, the mother attempted suicide after killing her daughter — she "had drunk bleach, then put the bag over her own head and lay next to her daughter on the bed" (Sun-Times article). While no formal mental health diagnosis is named, the suicide attempt and the public guardian's emphasis on mental health needs strongly imply mental health issues were a factor.
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Hagler had a prior criminal history from 2017, predating the 2022 fatal incident. The Sun-Times states: "Hagler was arrested for DUI and child endangerment after crashing on the Eisenhower Expressway near Peoria Street" in 2017. The News-Gazette also references this: "Hagler was arrested for driving under the influence and child endangerment." These are prior arrests/charges separate from the current first-degree murder charge.
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Multiple sources reference substance use by the mother/caregiver. The Sun-Times article states: "Hagler admitted having used the drug PCP recently, and a toxicology report showed the drug in her system." The CBS (father) article reports: "high on PCP, Hagler covered Amaria's head with a plastic bag." The 2017 DUI history also involved substance abuse; the Sun-Times notes Hagler was "arrested for DUI and child endangerment" and the News-Gazette reports she "participated in substance abuse treatment."
Notable Details
Several notable details not covered by preceding questions are substantively described in the text. First, the DCFS investigator visited the family on May 24 and "noted no signs of abuse," but Amaria's father DeMarcus Osby claims Amaria told the investigator the truth about being beaten, stating: "To be truthful, that's the reason my daughter is dead - because she told the truth to the agent." The father also reported seeing bruises on Amaria's face and back when he identified her body, contradicting the DCFS investigator's notes. Second, the mother attempted to poison Amaria with bleach before the suffocation: "Hagler confessed to police that Amaria refused to drink some bleach she poured her." Third, the systemic DCFS failures are significant: the investigator failed to attempt contact for 61 days despite regulations requiring daily good-faith attempts; 22% of DCFS investigator positions were unfilled; Amaria was the sixth child on DCFS radar to die since December 2021; and the DCFS director had been found in contempt of court 11 times for failing to place children appropriately.
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