Ogle County court denies request to replace judge in 7-year-old’s death case

OREGON, Ill. (WTVO) — The court has denied a request by Sarah Safranek, the Ogle County mom accused of killing her 7-year-old son, to change the judge overseeing her case.

Safranek filed a motion to replace Judge Anthony Peska on September 12th, 2025, according to court records.

Her son, Nathaniel Burton, died in her Oregon home in February 2021. Charging documents said that Safranek suffocated him.

Oregon Police say officers responded to a 911 call for a child who was not breathing, around 2:35 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, at a residence in the 400 block of South 10th Street.

Police say Nathaniel was taken to KSB Hospital in Dixon, where he was pronounced dead.

According to court records, Safranek, 38, pled guilty to the crime in March 2024 and was due to be sentenced on May 17th, 2024.

She then withdrew the guilty plea on May 14th, returning the case to a jury trial. The case was originally scheduled to be tried on July 8th, 2024, before she initially pleaded guilty.