Arrests Made In McHenry County Nursing Home Deaths
Mike Puccinelli Reporting
Arrests Made In McHenry County Nursing Home Deaths
Nurse Suspected To Have Given Six Patients Fatal Doses of Morphine
WOODSTOCK, Ill. (WBBM) ― They are supposed to be caring for those who really need it. But now, two workers at a northwest suburban nursing home are accused of putting their patients in danger.
Aafter 15 months and more than 60 different interviews the state's attorney announced indictments against two Woodstock nursing home workers.
"I think to summarize the charges really involve either giving excessive morphine or giving morphine or some other drug without a prescription," said McHenry County State's Attorney Louis Bianchi.
Nurse Marty Himebaugh and nursing director Penny Whitlock are both charged with criminal neglect of four residents of the Woodstock Residence and Nursing home.
The women are accused of endangering the lives of four separate nursing home residents back in 2006.
"We are alleging that Penny Whitlock committed the offense of criminal neglect by encouraging Marty Himebaugh to act as the angel of death within the facility," said the state's attorney's criminal division chief, Nichole Owens.
But investigators are not alleging that either of the two women arrested Friday intentionally tried to kill anyone.
The charges against Himebaugh: Neglect of a long-term care resident, obtaining a substance by fraud, and illegal distribution of a narcotic.
Himebaugh was named as a person of interest in a civil case against her and the home's co-administrator filed in January by one of the alleged victim's daughter.
Initially a total of six deaths were deemed suspicious. Three victims had their bodies exhumed.
At the nursing home, officials aren't talking but the residents WBBM spoke with seem to think of their nursing director as more of an angel than the boss of any angel of death.
The attorney for Marty Himebaugh said that the characterization of his client as an angel of death is ridiculous. He also said he's certain his client "will be completely exonerated of any accusations made by the state or anyone else."
Penny Whitlock was terminated from her position as nursing director at the facility.
Bianchi wouldn't comment on coroner's reports that the death rate in 2006 at the facility nearly doubled from the same period in 2005.
Investigators with the Illinois Department of Public Health finished their investigation of the facility Friday.
That investigation is now under review. No word on when they'll release their findings.
Both women are free on $50,000 bond.
Illinois State Police started investigating the 115-bed home at 309 McHenry Ave. in November 2006 when they obtained a search warrant.
Brandon Coutre of the Northwest Herald contributed to this report.
WBBM-AM 780 has been the consistent all news radio voice in Chicagoland for over 35 years and is now streaming online for free. Listen online to Chicago news as it happens around the clock, along with Chicago traffic, Chicago weather, Chicago sports and Chicago business. Subscribe to WBBM's free podcasts for additional Chicago business and Chicago community reports and listen to Chicago news on demand. WBBM news radio is also the home for Chicago Bears, Chicago Auto Show and Chicago Air & Water Show. www.wbbm780.com
E-Mail Story
Print Story
