Elgin Mental Health Center patient dies
State police are investigating the death of an Elgin Mental Health Center patient who went into anaphylactic shock after workers fed him fish despite warnings of his severe allergy, officials said Thursday.
On Wednesday a Kane County Coroner's jury ruled the 58-year-old's death on June 20 a homicide caused by negligence.
"Once we complete (the investigation), we'll turn that over to the state's attorney," State Police Lt. Luis Gutierrez said. "There is no timeline at this time."
Gutierrez said no one was in custody in connection with the incident and no charges had been filed. Kelly Callahan, the center's public information officer, declined to comment.
According to the coroner's office, Morris Howard's lips and tongue began to swell and he had trouble breathing after two workers fed him fish from a color-coded tray that identified him as having an allergy. Also overlooked was a medical card on the tray that specifically identified the allergy, officials said.
"One girl had started feeding him the fish, but she had to get up to do something else," Deputy Coroner Amy Renwick said, recalling testimony from an inquest. "Another girl sat down and continued feeding him fish."
The hospital called 911 immediately after Howard went into anaphylactic shock and attempted to counter the reaction with medicine. The former Chicago man was taken to Sherman Hospital in Elgin, where he later died.
Renwick said Howard's family had known of his allergy since he was 2 years old. He had been an aspiring banker who was working on a master's degree when, some time ago, he suffered a gunshot wound to the head, she said.
The injury left Howard unable to care for himself and resulted a severe personality change that caused him to be "violent and hostile" at times, she said.
He came to Elgin Mental Health Center, 750 S. State St., in January from another mental health center in Chester, Ill.
The Kane County State's Attorney's Office confirmed Thursday that it is reviewing the death but had no further comment.