A man charged with murder in the death of an Illinois child welfare worker entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors and was sentenced to 21 years in prison.
Andrew Sucher was accused of attacking Department of Children and Family Services worker Pamala Knight when she tried to take a child into protective custody in September 2017.
Sucher pushed the woman to the ground and allegedly kicked her in the head, fracturing her skull and causing brain damage. The 59-year-old Knight died about 5 months later.
Under the deal announced Wednesday by public defenders and the Carroll County state's attorney's office, Sucher will serve 100 percent of his sentence.
As a result of Pamala Knight's death, a law was passed in 2018 by the Legislature and signed by then-Gov. Bruce Rauner requiring law enforcement agencies "to make all reasonable efforts to assist" DCFS investigators when requested.