On October 28, 2022, police responded to an apartment on the 700 block of Dempster Street in Mount Prospect, Illinois, for a report of a 4-month-old child not breathing. Zayden Chavez was rushed to Lurie Children's Hospital with injuries consistent with physical abuse. After more than two months of hospitalization, Zayden died on December 29, 2022. The Cook County Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide, with the cause being complications from multiple injuries due to child abuse. His father, Adrian Chavez, was subsequently arrested and charged with first-degree murder. DCFS had prior contact with the family before the fatal incident.
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 (ME2022-10394.pdf) lists the primary cause of death as "COMPLICATIONS FROM MULTIPLE INJURIES. CHILD ABUSE." The NBC Chicago article states that "Zayden was rushed to Lurie Children's Hospital with injuries that were consistent with physical abuse" and that "An investigation from Mount Prospect police determined that Chavez had physically abused Zayden." These clearly establish inflicted physical injury.
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?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
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?
The NBC Chicago article explicitly identifies the perpetrator as the child's biological father: "A Mount Prospect man has been arrested and charged in the murder of his 6-month-old son" and "just over two months after he was attacked by his father." Adrian Chavez shares a surname with the child, Zayden Chavez, and is identified as his father.
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
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)?
The ABC7 Chicago article states: "The Department of Child and Family Service said the agency did have prior contact with the child's family." This confirms a history of child protection involvement prior to the child's death.
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 NBC Chicago article states: "Adrian Chavez was arrested on Monday, days after the Cook County Medical Examiner's office ruled the death of Zayden Chavez a homicide." It further states: "Chavez is charged with first-degree murder and is currently being held without bond."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
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?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
The ABC7 Chicago article notes that "The Department of Child and Family Service said the agency did have prior contact with the child's family," indicating the family was already known to child protective services before Zayden's fatal abuse. This raises questions about whether DCFS intervention might have prevented the child's death and points to potential systemic child welfare failures.
These fields were populated by an AI model and may contain inaccuracies. Review the links and PDFs provided for verification before citing. Contact [email protected] to report any inaccuracies where corrections are needed.