Lake in the Hills mom accused of abducting her 5-year-old daughter detained on unrelated case

Although released pretrial from the McHenry County jail Wednesday, a Lake in the Hills mother who allegedly tried to abduct her daughter was detained Thursday in an unrelated case, official records show.

Jessica L. Walsh, 29, as well as the child’s father, Jeffrey S. Cook, 57, both are charged with child abduction, while Cook also is charged with obstructing justice, court records show. All charges are Class 4 felonies. Sentencing on a Class 4 felony is one to three years in prison or, if found extended-term eligible, three to six years. Probation also is possible.

Judge Michael Chmiel ordered Walsh be held overnight so she could be present in court Thursday. Prosecutors argued Thursday that she violated her pretrial release on a pending aggravated battery case against her from April 23 when she was charged this week with child abduction. The new charges resulted in her pretrial release on the aggravated battery charge being revoked Thursday, court records show.

The couple is accused of not allowing caseworkers from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to take protective custody of the 5-year-old girl from their home May 23. Authorities said DCFS was investigating allegations of abuse and neglect. The next day, the agency secured a warrant for the child, but the couple fled the area with her, according to authorities and court documents.

On Tuesday, the couple took the child to the Woodstock DCFS office but fled with the girl again after caseworkers asked to speak to the girl privately, Assistant State’s Attorney Anthony Marin said at a hearing Wednesday while arguing the couple should be detained.

This prompted a statewide alert for the child. The child and her parents later were found at their home, Woodstock police said in a news release.

Walsh, who is being represented by an assistant public defender, is due in court June 17 for a preliminary hearing. Cook, who did not have an attorney listed in court files, is due in court June 26 to set a date for a preliminary hearing.