Urgent Call for Maternal and Mental Health Mobile Clinic Following Tragic Child Deaths in Chicago

Dr. Twin Green-Photo provided by jerrythomaspr
Dr. Twin Green-Photo provided by jerrythomaspr

Urgent Call for Maternal and Mental Health Mobile Clinic Following 

Tragic Child Deaths in Chicago


South Holland, IL – In light of the recent tragedies in Chicago, where two mothers tragically killed their children, Dr. Twin Green, Founder, President, & CEO of The Link & Option Center, Inc., is renewing the call for the establishment of the state's first mobile clinic dedicated to addressing maternal and mental health.

These heartbreaking incidents, which occurred earlier this month, underscore the urgent need for accessible mental health services, said Green, one of the state’s leading mental health experts, who founded the organization over 30 years ago. With facilities in South Holland and Hazel Crest, The Link & Option Center is the only Joint Commission-accredited outpatient state Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) with designation for the South Suburban Cook County Region.

"Hearing breaking news on the tragic mental health crisis that turned fatal for a 1-year-old child was heartbreaking,” Dr. Green said. “Mental health is a recurring problem resting in an incubation period and worsening due to lack of access to treatment, engagement, and understanding the symptoms of the condition.”

The statistics are alarming. According to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services data, mothers are involved in about 70% of child fatalities caused by a parent, often because they are the primary caregivers. In 2022 alone, 473 children died due to abuse by their mothers, compared to 363 by both parents and 275 by fathers. Most victims are under the age of 5, with infants being especially vulnerable. Mental illness plays a significant role. Studies show that 66% of mothers who commit filicide have a history of mental disorders, especially depression and psychosis.

The recent cases in Chicago are particularly harrowing. Surah Amon, 31, has been charged with the July 18th murder in the drowning of her one-year-old son on the South Side. Another tragic incident on July 4th involved Wendy Tolbert, who allegedly stabbed her 4-year-old son Jordan Wallace to death and then attacked her other children.


We have seen other tragic cases over the years. In 2022, Andreal Hagler, a mother from the South Side, was charged with the murder of her two young children. She had a history of untreated mental illness and had not accessed the necessary mental health services.

In 2024, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services reported 45 child deaths, with six cases leading to criminal charges. These cases highlight the urgent need for intervention and support for mothers struggling with severe mental illness.

Studies by the Cook County Department of Public Health (WE Plan Report 2025), the University of Chicago Medicine, Ingalls Memorial Hospital, and Advocate South Suburban Hospital have highlighted that the rate of mental health needs in Cook County's southern suburbs is greater than in other parts of the county. Additionally, reports on prenatal care in the Southland indicate that women in many of the 39 municipalities seek maternal health care at a much later stage than the state and national average. This delay in seeking care is attributed to numerous factors, including mental health challenges, limited access to care, limited access to transportation, and a lack of trust in the healthcare system.

The Link & Option Center, which serves all 38 municipalities and patients from Chicago and other communities in the region, treated 1,174 clients in the first half of 2025, surpassing the 1,236 clients served in all of 2024. Many more individuals, Dr. Green said, are lost to care and struggle to access it, feeling that the healthcare system is ineffective, which leads to disengagement and a sense of hopelessness.

"It's just hard to take this in that their mother's hands have killed these children, and it's Black women," said Dr. Green, noting that being stigmatized also plays a role in the reluctance to get treatment. “But now we know the demographic we must reach. We must take the service to the mental and maternal health deserts because a growing number of mothers who truly need our services are not walking into the brick-and-mortar locations.”

By supporting the establishment of this mobile health unit, communities can take a significant step towards preventing such heart-ripping incidents and ensuring that all women, regardless of their location and ability to pay, have access to the care they need. “It is our collective responsibility to act now, to invest in the well-being of our communities, and to honor the memory of those we have lost by ensuring that no more lives are needlessly cut short,” Dr. Green said.

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