Unannounced Illinois Nursing Home Inspection Yields Fugitive
A surprise inspection yesterday at an Illinois nursing home yielded an unusual find: a Missouri fugitive.
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, accompanied by St. Clair County Sheriff Mearl Justus, Illinois State Police officials, officials from the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Illinois Department on Aging, and the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation, made the unannounced inspection at Virgil Calvert Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in East St. Louis, Illinois on Thursday, June 24, 2010 around 10:00 a.m. The facility experienced problems earlier this year with health and safety issues.
During a review of resident backgrounds at the facility, investigators uncovered that resident Rothford Darden, 61, was wanted on an active Missouri drug warrant. Darden was taken into custody by St. Clair County Sheriff's Deputies. According to Attorney General spokeswoman Cara Smith, "He knew he was wanted. He seemed perfectly able-bodied. These nursing homes have been turning out to be the perfect place for hiding out. We've found wanted people in every one" (that has been checked so far). According to Madigan's office, in the twelve facilities inspected to date, 61 people under active warrants were living in the facilities and 17 arrests were made immediately at the facilities.
By law, nursing homes are required to perform background checks on their residents and staff and make arrangements if housing residents with criminal histories, such as sexual offenders and others who could harm fellow residents.
