Chicago Heights Mayor Responds to Daughter's Arrest

Monica Gonzalez, 20-year-old daughter of Chicago Heights Mayor David Gonzalez, was arrested and charged with resisting arrest, battery and possession of drug paraphernalia following a Nov. 23 incident in Homewood. 

Mayor Gonzalez said he was "saddened" by the charges, and actions "certainly inconsistent with the behavior my wife and I have tried to instill in all of our children."

The statement continued:

Nevertheless, at 20 years of age, Monica is an adult. She is responsible for her own actions. 

As the Mayor of the City of Chicago Heights, I stand by the notion that all persons, regardless of your position in life, need to abide by all laws and be accountable if you fail to do so. 

READ: Daughter of Chicago Heights Mayor Arrested in Homewood

As a father, I will be providing personal support to my daughter to get her through this difficult time. As part of that support, my wife and I will ensure that she pursues all avenues to ensure that the path of a lifetime of healthy, safe, and wise choices made by her remains on course for a bright future and is not derailed by this incident.

My wife and I ask that the media, to the extent possible, respect Monica and our family’s privacy.

For the purposes of further public discussion, as this incident in no way involves my official duties as Mayor of Chicago Heights and that it occurred outside the jurisdiction of Chicago Heights, we intend to treat it as a private family matter as we would with all city employees.

—David Gonzalez, Chicago Heights Mayor