Belleville, IL hidden suffering, hidden death section, Belleville News-Democrat

Hidden suffering, hidden death

Why won't agency probe deaths of people it serves?

It’s the job of the Office of the Inspector General for the Illinois Department of Human Services to investigate abuse against adults with disabilities who live at home. But when a person dies within days of the allegations, the OIG closes the case, stating the dead are no longer eligible for services...

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Archive by category ''Hidden suffering, hidden death

HIDDEN SUFFERING, HIDDEN DEATH

Department on Aging's approach sought to protect homebound disabled adults

The Illinois Department on Aging will be asked to help carry out reforms to protect disabled adults who live at home and investigate when they are neglected or abused, according to a proposal announced Friday by Gov. Pat Quinn.
HIDDEN SUFFERING, HIDDEN DEATH

State lawmaker: DHS 'failed' in protecting disabled adults

A state agency charged with protecting disabled adults who live at home followed "neither the intent or the language" of the law, the chairman of an Illinois House committee says.
HIDDEN SUFFERING, HIDDEN DEATH

Quinn names former high ranking Chicago cop to be 'special investigator' for OIG

A former top cop in Chicago has been selected to revamp the Illinois agency that is supposed to protect disabled adults who live at home, Gov. Pat Quinn's office announced Friday.
HIDDEN SUFFERING, HIDDEN DEATH

Man charged with abuse admits to handcuffing disabled wife to wheelchair

Two years before he was charged with felony abuse or neglect in connection with his wife's death, Joseph Duffy admitted to police and state officials that he regularly handcuffed the frail, disabled woman to her wheelchair or to her bed while he left their Brookfield home for hours.
HIDDEN SUFFERING, HIDDEN DEATH

Metro-east lawmaker's bill would require state agency to investigate deaths of disabled adults

An Illinois lawmaker has introduced legislation that would require the state Department of Human Services to contact police and the coroner if a disabled person dies after the agency received a hotline report alleging the person was abused or neglected.
HIDDEN SUFFERING, HIDDEN DEATH

Skin boiled off man's feet; caregiver not charged

Rajubhai Desai was sick. His kidneys had stopped working because of severe diabetes. But it was a foot bath that killed him.
HIDDEN SUFFERING, HIDDEN DEATH

'Stinks in there': Man forces wife to die in her own filth

Margie Wade lay face down, her right arm crooked under her cheek. She was too weak to lift her head.
HIDDEN SUFFERING, HIDDEN DEATH

Will they get justice? Woman dies in her own filth; man's skin boiled off

Margie Wade suffered horribly for months in a fouled bedroom, unable to move or call for help.
HIDDEN SUFFERING, HIDDEN DEATH

Head of OIG resigns; governor promises to strengthen protections for disabled people

The head of a state agency set up to protect disabled adults has resigned after the News-Democrat reported that the agency did not investigate the deaths of people who were neglected or abused.
HIDDEN SUFFERING, HIDDEN DEATH

'Why is someone dropping the ball?' Coroners aren't called after deaths of disabled adults

Coroner's officials in 10 of the state's largest counties said they can't recall ever receiving a call from the Office of the Inspector General for the Illinois Department of Human Services after a disabled adult who lived at home died.