Bail set for Beach Park men accused of not helping overdosing Schaumburg man

Bail has been set for a father and son from Beach Park who left an overdosing Schaumburg man in his vehicle, where he died.

Judge Christen Bishop ordered Mason Spencer, 22, be held on $500,000 bail, while his father, James Spencer, 47, was ordered held on $250,000 bail.

Both are held in Lake County jail on charges of involuntary manslaughter, concealment of a death, obstructing justice and possession of ammunition without a firearms owner identification card. Mason Spencer had an additional charge of unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

In bond court Tuesday, Assistant State's Attorney Joseph Zeit said police were called at 7:10 a.m. Sunday for a report of a person slumped over in a vehicle at North Wilson Avenue and West Edgewood Road in Beach Park.

Officers found Russell Eilrich, 21, of Schaumburg dead in the back seat, Zeit said. Police also recovered a piece of paper the read "Mason Spencer" and "Bacardi Cush" in the vehicle.

An officer drove to the Spencers' home and took the father and son into custody, Zeit said. He added the senior Spencer spoke with police after being taken into custody.

Mason Spencer told police he had been ingesting heroin at his home in the 37900 block of North Loyola Avenue with Eilrich for two days when the Schaumburg man started having trouble breathing, Zeit said.

Mason Spencer woke up his father and they decided to remove Eilrich from the house because they were concerned they would lose custody of a baby that was living there with them, Zeit said.

They placed Eilrich into the back seat of his vehicle and drove the car a block away and left him there, Zeit said. Mason Spencer told police they left the car running, but the keys were not found in the ignition by police, Zeit said.

Mason Spencer also told police Eilrich was alive when they moved the vehicle, and he was alive when they checked on him later that morning, Zeit said.

"Had they called 9-1-1, they could have potentially saved a life," Lake County Sheriff's Det. Christopher Covelli said. "Instead, we are investigating the death of this young man."

Covelli said the child has been removed from the house and placed in protective custody by the Department of Children and Family Services.

Mason and James Spencer were told they are not to have contact with each other should they be able to post bond.

In addition, they are not allowed to have any drugs or alcohol, and they will be on a 24-hour curfew.

Both are due back in court Feb. 3.