STERLING, Illinois — More than a dozen people were camped outside the Illinois State Police Troop 1 headquarters in Sterling on Wednesday to protest the handling of a death investigation of a Mount Carroll teen.
The body of 18-year-old Jackson Kradle was found on Illinois Route 78, just north of Mount Carroll, on July 28. The Carroll County Sheriff's Office had asked ISP to conduct the death investigation that same day, according to state police.
Officials have not yet released information about the nature of Kradle's death. ISP said on Tuesday that they have a person of interest but have not yet named that individual.
Friends and family members of Kradle said they are unhappy about the progress of his death investigation and are asking for "Justice for Jackson." Just the day before on Tuesday, people protested outside the Carroll County Courthouse.
"We're here to spread awareness for the family. To be the voice for justice for Jackson," Brittany Smith, who is a family friend of the Kradles, said. "We feel like Carroll County has not done their job as people of the law... I don't think things were handled correctly on their end. I'm glad the state police are involved. Hopefully, they are getting some answers and getting some justice for this family."
Smith said the person of interest update in ISP's investigation doesn't change the problems she has seen in Carroll County as a whole.
"They don't put a lot of information out," Smith said. "They don't name names of what happened to these people or who they are. I think that's a big problem in Carroll County. They need to do a better job."
Smith said this information can help bring closure to the family, and the town of Mount Carroll.
"I couldn't believe it, could have been anybody's child," Smith said. "It could have been mine, could have been anybody's in the community. So it's heartbreaking.
The Illinois State Police has appointed a special prosecutor to the case and will update Kradle's family as the investigation continues.
