Expert Advice Needed! 1st cousin became a ward of the state at age of 4 in Chicago? Help?
Juvenile records are sealed. My aunt passed away 2 months after a custody hearing with Cook county juvenile court. Court hearing was in April 1976, she passed in June 1976. My aunt was 13 years older than all of my aunts, uncles, and mother. Grandparents/great grandparents were deceased before he was born.
None of my immediate family ever had contact with their eldest sister, my aunt. I recently found her death certificate and the circuit court newspaper posting to discover that my family has a nephew/cousin we have never met that would be 54, if still alive today.
I have the posting from the Chicago Tribune, his birthdate, my aunt's birth date, my aunts ssn, but I am unable to find anything.
We honestly don't know if he was adopted, but in foster care or went to a group home, which at 4 would be too young we believe.
Chicago attorney says even if we hire a lawyer and prove relationship, it is very unlikely a judge would unseal these records AND that in 1976 nothing was digitized, so it would be a long wait potentially to get the results of the court case.
Anyone have any advice?
Answers
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@Es3kc You may want to post in the group for Mid-West States Research where members with local knowledge may be able to assist.
Good luck with your quest.
https://community.familysearch.org/en/group/120-mid-west-states-research0 -
A first cousin relationship is close enough that genetic testing is actually useful. If you test with any of the major companies or a couple of them and IF your first cousin has tested with the same company a connection should pop up pretty quickly. If your cousin knows his history he might well have already done DNA testing in hopes someone like you does the same.
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