STATE HOME FOR DISABLED FAILED TO REPORT RAPE
A former part-time employee of the Illinois Center for Rehabilitation and Education, a state-run home for the disabled, was charged with raping a 22-year old woman with the mental capacity of a young child. The assult occurred in 2006, but police only learned of it recently while investigating another alleged rape committed by the same suspect at the same facility.
According to Marielle Sainvilus of the Illinois Department of Human Services, the incident was never reported to police because the victim and her guardian didn't want to press charges. It is not clear if the home was legally required to report the rape to police, but Cara Smith, deputy chief of staff for Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, believes the officials should have done so out of "common sense." I agree with Ms. Smith. By not reporting this heinous crime to police, the Illinois Center for Rehabilitation and Education failed the victim and all of its residents.
The Illinois Center for Rehabilitation and Education failed all of us when it failed to report this monster to the proper authorities. All residents were victimized when the home decided to not take action against a man who clearly has no regard for human life and human dignity. Families should be able to trust the people with whom they place their loved ones. And such facilities should be held accountable when their employees fail to care for their residents as they should.
