Former Murray Center employee charged with criminal neglect in ‘punishment’ shower death

A grand jury in Clinton County has issued charges of criminal neglect against a former employee of the Warren G. Murray Development Center accused of giving a “punishment” shower that led to the death of a man with developmental disabilities.

The indictment, issued last week and unsealed Thursday, charges former Murray Center employee Christopher M. Duguay with two counts of criminal neglect of a resident of a long-term care facility.

Duguay, 25, of Alton, is charged with giving a shower to Todd Clementz on March 30, causing water to go into the man’s throat, which resulted in him choking on food. Clementz was blind in addition to having developmental disabilities.

At a recent coroner’s inquest, an Illinois State Police investigator testified that Duguay gave the shower to Clementz as “punishment.” Clementz wanted to go to sleep, but Duguay didn’t want Clementz to go to bed yet, according to testimony.

Duguay surrendered to police on Thursday and was released from custody after posting $2,500 cash for bond at the Madison County Sheriff’s Department.

Duguay could not immediately be reached for comment. It wasn’t immediately clear whether he has an attorney.

Clinton County State's Attorney John Hudspeth suggested that his office pushed for more severe charges against Duguay, but declined to discuss the grand jury’s secret deliberations.

“We presented the grand jury with options,” he said. “And this is what they came back with.”

Criminal neglect of a resident of a long-term care facility is a class 3 felony. A class 3 felony in Illinois typically is punishable by up to five years in prison.

Witnesses called to testify before the grand jury included three State Police investigators and a doctor.

Witnesses at the coroner’s inquest last month included Illinois State Police Special Agent Tom Hatley, who described the shower given to Clementz as a “punishment” shower.

Marion County Coroner Troy Cannon said evidence suggests the employee had given punishment showers to residents on multiple occasions.

“Basically, there are indications that the employee had done this kind of thing in the past with this resident — and other ones, as well, even before this took place,” Cannon said.

The coroner’s jury ruled the death a homicide. A coroner’s jury has five options for manner of death: homicide, accident, suicide, natural or undetermined.

Duguay, a mental health technician, was initially placed on administrative leave but later fired for seeking work at another state agency during an internal investigation, according to the Illinois Department of Human Services, which oversees the developmental center.

Clementz’ death has ramped up pressure on the state to close the facility and its six other developmental centers.

Parents and guardians of patients at the Murray Center and others like it sued in federal court after then-Gov. Pat Quinn targeted the facility for closure in a 2012 cost-cutting move.

Only Texas and New Jersey house more adults with mental or physical disabilities in state institutions. Thirteen states, including neighboring Indiana and Michigan, have closed all such facilities as part of a shift to smaller, community-based treatment options.

State Rep. Charlie Meier, R-Okawville, was a lead supporter of keeping the Murray Center open. He said the case is not a bad reflection on state-operated developmental centers. Meier has said it was Murray Center workers “who questioned what happened and got this investigation going.”

Hudspeth said the investigation is ongoing. He asked that anyone with information contact Illinois State Police at 618-346-3502.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This story was originally published December 17, 2015 at 3:29 PM with the headline "Former Murray Center employee charged with criminal neglect in ‘punishment’ shower death."