A young woman who endured sexual assault at a South Side foster facility expressed relief after the perpetrator received a 30-year prison sentence. Yadira Escamilla, one of the victims, shared her thoughts on the sentencing of Trulon Henry during an interview on Monday.
Escamilla described her initial anxiety about the outcome. “When the sentencing came, I was just happy that he got some time,” she stated. Cook County Judge Ursula Walowski sentenced Henry after he was found guilty in March of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child under 13, along with multiple counts involving three children.
The Tribune reported on the case details in June. Escamilla filed a lawsuit against Aunt Martha’s Health and Wellness, which operated the facility, and A-Alert Security Services. She recounted being sent to the basement without windows or cameras, where Henry first assaulted her at 17.
Escamilla recalled feeling isolated and terrified while being locked in the basement. On one occasion, a staff member allegedly encountered Henry assaulting her but failed to intervene. After her previous complaint about Henry’s inappropriate conduct was ignored, she hesitated to report further incidents. Henry’s abuse spanned from January to April 2024, primarily during overnight shifts.
Though Escamilla felt some relief about the prison sentence, she expressed that Henry deserves more time. His sentence includes four years for each criminal sexual assault count and six years for the predatory assault, served consecutively. Despite the difficulties of recalling her trauma in court, Escamilla viewed securing justice for herself and others as worthwhile.
Henry’s public defender sought a new trial, arguing insufficient proof of guilt, but the motion was denied. Escamilla shared how the abuse impacted her mental health in a victim impact statement, emphasizing the importance of awareness to prevent harm to others. “I wish my reports had been taken seriously from the beginning,” she stated.
Her attorney, Margaret Battersby Black, affirmed the sentence validated Escamilla’s account. “It makes her feel good about our civil case moving forward,” she remarked. Escamilla’s lawsuit claims Aunt Martha’s and A-Alert Security failed to protect her despite clear misconduct indicators. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services was later included as a defendant.
Henry, a former University of Illinois football player, was hired despite a past felony armed robbery conviction. During his football career, he addressed his criminal record publicly. Aunt Martha’s, previously unavailable for comment, has denied many allegations in court filings.