Goodfield

History

The site of Goodfield was surveyed for John Guth of Washington, Illinois, on August 29, 1888. The name Goodfield is believed to derive from Guthville (via Goodville), named after John Guth. The area of the village gained local, national, and global notoriety when a 9-year-old boy allegedly set fire to a trailer that contained his mother and several other relatives, killing five, including at least one or two young children who were relatives. The fire was, after some time, determined to be suspicious by the coroner and fire investigators and area police. The boy, who as a young juvenile cannot be named (there is, after the mother gave an interview, also a court-imposed gag order on all parties), is subsequently being prosecuted on five first degree murder charges and aggravated arson resulting in death. The boy, taken from his mother after the fire, is a ward of the state, and his grandparents are now his legal guardians. His initial appearance was before Judge Charles Feeney, who took careful time to explain the charges and their meaning. Under Illinois law, those under 10 cannot be detained except for brief questioning, and those under 13 cannot be detained in a juvenile facility or juvenile detention center. They must be at least 16 to be transferred to adult court. He will face probation for a minimum of five years but not after age 21, restitution and/or some form of service, and intensive therapy, counseling, and rehabilitation. He is the youngest to be charged in central Illinois since at least 2006, especially for such a serious offense that in adult could bring life without parole in the non-death penalty state.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, Goodfield has a total area of , of which (or 99.53%) is land and (or 0.47%) is water.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Eureka Middle School
  Middle · Eureka · 482 students · 16.6:1 ratio
• Eureka High School
  High · Eureka · 476 students · 15.9:1 ratio
• Davenport Elem School
  Elementary · Eureka · 408 students · 13.6:1 ratio
• Congerville Elem School
  Elementary · Congerville · 90 students · 15:1 ratio
• Goodfield Elem School
  Elementary · Goodfield · 72 students · 12:1 ratio