THAYER, Ill. – A state employee was stabbed to death in a Springfield-area home Tuesday night.
According to FOX-TV affiliate WRSP, Deidre Silas, 36, of Springfield, was stabbed inside a home in Thayer, Illinois.
The man who allegedly did it, Benjamin Reed, 32, was arrested at a Decatur hospital a few hours later.
Published reports suggest Silas recently started working for the state Department of Children and Family Services.
“Today, the State of Illinois mourns the loss of Deidre Silas, a DCFS caseworker and a hero, taken from us in the line of duty. There is no higher calling than the work to keep children and families safe and Deidre lived that value every single day,” said Governor JB Pritzker, in a statement. “Our most vulnerable are safer because she chose to serve. I can think of no more profound legacy. MK and I send our deepest condolences to her colleagues at DCFS, her family, and all who loved her.”
Its director, Marc Smith, says being a social worker is a calling, and Silas dedicated herself to that work.
“The Department of Children and Family Services is deeply saddened by the tragic death of our colleague, Deidre Silas,” said Marc Smith, DCFS Director. “Our most heartfelt condolences, thoughts and prayers are with her family during this very difficult time. Social work is more than just a job, it is a calling. Deidre responded to this call and dedicated herself to the children, families and communities she served, and we will be forever grateful for her work. She was an incredible person, and her brightness and positivity will be missed not only by her family and friends, but also her second family at DCFS.”
Reed faces murder and aggravated battery charges. Silas was believed to be responding to a report of “children in danger” in a home at the time of her death.
