Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has filed charges against a former caregiver from DuPage County, accusing her of neglect and abuse that led to severe injuries to an elderly patient. Darnitia Conner, 58, of Glendale Heights, faces allegations related to an incident in a community-based home operated by the Ray Graham Association (RGA), where the victim suffered second-degree burns after being exposed to excessively hot water during a bath. According to a press release from the Attorney General's Office, Conner is facing three counts of abuse and two counts of criminal neglect of a long-term care facility resident, plus one count of reckless conduct.
Details surrounding the charges indicate Conner did not test the water temperature before the resident was exposed to it, leading to significant burns. Despite her culpability, she entered a plea of not guilty to all charges and is set to appear in court again on March 10. Charged with having attempted to hide her mistake, Conner failed to alert either staff or medical personnel to the urgency of the resident's injuries, who may require around-the-clock support due to disability or health care needs.
In response to these events, Attorney General Raoul condemned the actions of the caregiver, stating, "All Illinois residents deserve to be safe in their homes, and it is appalling that any caretaker would cause serious harm to an elderly or vulnerable patient in their care," as per the Attorney General's Office. Raoul has committed to ongoing partnerships with local law enforcement to protect Illinois seniors and individuals with disabilities.
According to a statement by DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick, the indictment was made possible, in part, thanks to the efforts of diligent deputies and investigators from both the Sheriff's Department and the Attorney General's Office. Mendrick highlighted their interagency collaboration, emphasizing, "It was especially disturbing to find a care giver of The Ray Graham Association, in a position of trust, cause bodily harm to one of its residents because of willful abuse and neglect," the Attorney General's Office noted.
The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, a standard reminder to the public about the legal process. Deputy Chief of Medicaid Prosecutions Steven Krueger is handling the case for the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Unit, ensuring that the intricacies of the legal proceedings are adhered to with precision and attention to detail.
