A Cook County judge sentenced a former overnight manager of a South Side Chicago foster care facility to 30 years in prison for sexually assaulting multiple children, including one young woman who spoke publicly about her ordeal.

Trulon Henry, 41, was convicted in March of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child under 13 and several counts of criminal sexual assault involving three victims. The sentence was handed down last Friday by Cook County Judge Ursula Walowski.

One of Henry’s victims, Yadira Escamilla, now 20, described relief following the sentencing. Escamilla, who was 17 when the abuse occurred, said it was initially nerve-wracking to face the court process, but she was pleased that Henry received a substantial prison term. She noted that Henry’s abuse primarily took place during his overnight shifts at the residential facility, which was operated by the nonprofit Aunt Martha’s Health and Wellness until it closed.

Escamilla alleged that she was confined to a basement room without windows or security cameras, where Henry first assaulted her. Her lawsuit against Aunt Martha’s and the facility’s security contractor, A-Alert Security Services, further details how staff members failed to intervene despite witnessing suspicious circumstances. On one occasion, a staff member reportedly passed by the basement hallway while Escamilla was being assaulted but did not report or investigate the incident. After previous reports were apparently ignored, Escamilla said she was afraid to speak out again.

The abuse is said to have continued from January to April 2024. Escamilla’s attorney stated that the criminal case’s outcome supports their ongoing civil litigation, which also names the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services as a defendant. The lawsuit asserts that Aunt Martha’s and A-Alert Security failed to protect the victims despite clear indicators of misconduct.

Henry, a former University of Illinois football player with a prior felony armed robbery conviction, had been employed by Aunt Martha’s to work with vulnerable youth. The nonprofit has denied many of the allegations but did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the sentencing.

Henry’s public defender filed a motion for a new trial, arguing insufficient evidence, but this was denied. The public defender’s office declined to comment.

Escamilla spoke about the lasting impact the abuse has had on her mental health and expressed a desire to raise awareness to prevent similar cases in the future. “I made reports, and I wish they would have been taken seriously from the beginning,” she said. While she believes Henry deserves a longer sentence, she emphasized the importance of justice for herself and the other survivors.