Police arrested four nursing home residents Tuesday in a Chicago suburb during a raid orchestrated by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, part of a series of unannounced visits.
During the surprise visit at Burnham Healthcare, investigators from Madigan’s office and police arrested a 48-year-old accused of disorderly conduct, a 41-year-old accused of retail theft, a 55-year-old accused of marijuana possession, and a 38-year-old for alleged trespassing. Burnham Healthcare is listed as a nursing home that provides care for disabled and mentally ill individuals, who are often younger than typical nursing home residents.
The raid was one in a series from Madigan’s office. They follow the Chicago Tribune’s three-part series of articles during 2009 and 2010 that chronicled crimes perpetrated by residents with violent records at various Chicago area long-term care facilities. One of the articles highlighted an alleged attack of a 63-year-old Burnham Healthcare resident that led to his death. Long-term care facilities in the greater Chicago area have been subject to increased scrutiny and public suspicion ever since.
