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Police were called to the home Nov. 6 for a possible carbon
monoxide leak. When they arrived, officers said they found
Edward Weiher, 49, doing chest compressions on the child.
Investigators described the living conditions as "deplorable."
Garbage and rotting food were seen in the home alongside soiled
diapers, medical waste and "significant evidence of narcotics
use." An autopsy of the child subsequently led to first-degree
murder charges against Weiher and the girl’s mother, Alexa Balen.
After making a court appearance, the couple was released before
trial under conditions of the SAFE-T Act, which stands for
Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today Act.
Sheehan said the SAFE-T Act has turned the state’s justice
system upside down, protecting criminals while failing the most
vulnerable.
“They’re released to the comfort of their own home, getting
credit for time served while a 2-year-old is dead,” said
Sheehan. “The victims are the ones paying the price. Who is
going to stand up and be the voice for the voiceless.”
Another case that is making headlines is the death of
37-year-old Megan Bos. Her body was discovered in a storage
container. The owner of the property in Waukegan, Jose Luis
Mendoza-Gonzalez, is facing multiple felony charges, including
concealing a death. As a result of the SAFE-T Act, he was
allowed to go free ahead of trial.
The Bos family and their supporters held signs outside the Lake
County Courthouse that read, “The SAFE-T Act isn’t safe.”
Supporters of the law said the elimination of cash bail, a
component of the SAFE-T Act, provides fairness in an unbalanced
legal system, while opponents contend the law neglects crime
victims.
Sheehan, who is a police officer, said law enforcement is
handcuffed and Illinois courts are powerless while criminals
walk free.
“Everything seems so backwards about this law,” said Sheehan.
“It needs to be repealed, rethought, stakeholders need to be
brought back to the table and let’s just do this the right way.”
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