A former Chicago mental health counselor is behind bars after Cook County prosecutors charged him with sexually abusing five child patients at Hartgrove Behavioral Health Hospital over an eight year span. Authorities say the victims were between 7 and 14 years old and that the alleged abuse took place from 1996 through 2004.
Prosecutors' Charges
Prosecutors identified the defendant as 68 year old Edmund Rivers and said he is facing three counts of criminal sexual assault and two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault tied to five victims, according to FOX 32 Chicago. A judge ordered Rivers detained after multiple victims came forward, prompting prosecutors to approve charges that span several years of alleged incidents. “This alleged abuse is horrific, and the survivors have shown tremendous courage coming forward to report these allegations after so many years,” Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke said, as reported by the same office.
About Hartgrove
Hartgrove Behavioral Health System runs inpatient and outpatient programs for children, adolescents and adults from its campus on the city's West Side. The facility lists its address and admissions contact details on its public site, which identifies the hospital's main location as 5730 W. Roosevelt Road, Chicago, IL.
What Prosecutors Say Happened
According to prosecutors, the alleged assaults took place in several parts of the facility, including patient rooms, a seclusion room, a cafeteria bathroom and a gym equipment room. Victims told investigators that Rivers threatened to sedate them with a hypodermic needle if they did not comply. The state's attorney's office approved charges tied to alleged incidents occurring in 1996, 1997 to 1998, 1999 to 2000, 2001 to 2003 and 2004, and prosecutors say Rivers worked at Hartgrove from 1993 to 2004, according to FOX 32 Chicago.
Civil Lawsuit Sparked New Reports
Attorneys say several victims contacted police after learning about a civil lawsuit that alleges a broader pattern of staff abuse at Hartgrove. More than 100 former patients have joined litigation against Universal Health Services and related entities in Illinois, alleging systemic abuse and failures to protect minors, according to materials from the law firm SGGH.
Next Steps
Rivers remains in custody while prosecutors and investigators continue to build the criminal case. He appeared in Cook County court on Monday, where a judge ordered him detained. Local authorities are asking anyone with information about the incidents to contact investigators as the office moves forward with the case.
