Judge orders Lake in the Hills woman out of squalid condo

The owner of a Lake in the Hills condominium found filled with trash and human feces cannot live there until it undergoes a cleanup, a McHenry County judge ruled Wednesday.

The judge, however, stopped short of authorizing county authorities to perform the cleanup themselves, instead giving owner Gail Biging time to formally respond to claims her home is a public health hazard.

The county filed suit against Biging last week, saying her home at 1343 Cunat Court, Unit 2B, presented a health threat to herself and her neighbors in the Prairie Point Manor condominiums.

The suit asks a judge to order Biging to either clean it up or allow the county to do it for her. The county would then bill Biging its costs.

Algonquin-Lake in the Hills firefighters discovered Biging's squalid living conditions Feb. 10 when called to the condominium complex to check on a possible water pipe break.

Instead, they found Biging's second-floor condominium filled with garbage, used food containers, human feces and an overflowing toilet that was leaking into a unit below.

Asked Wednesday by Judge Michael Caldwell whether she was still living in the one-bedroom unit, Biging replied "sort of." When pressed, she said she is now living with a friend.

Biging declined comment outside of court.

Neighbors in the 18-unit condominium building said they've complained about insect infestations and terrible odors for about 2½ years.

Biging now has about three weeks to file a formal response to the lawsuit. If she does not, Assistant McHenry County State's Attorney Jamie Rein said, the county will ask a judge to enter a default judgment against her and clean the home.

"There's some urgency to this because of the neighbors," Rein said.