At twenty-one years old, Christopher Shelton is 6'1" and weighs in at 230 pounds. He is also mentally ill and lives at Maplewood Care nursing home in Elgin, Illinois. Even at his young age, Shelton already has an extensive, violent rap sheet attesting to an explosive temper.
As a teenager, Shelton hit his teachers with a metal bar ripped from a classroom desk. He was sent to prison on an aggravated battery conviction. After his parole, he was arrested at least six more times, including a 2006 case where he reportedly threw a woman against a brick wall while kicking her in the crotch and head. Last year, Shelton was arrested three times, one of which included punching a man in the face at a nursing home facility where he was living at the time.
In November 2008, Shelton called Maplewood and asked if he could be readmitted and they accepted him. Maplewood segregates its mentally ill residents on the second floor of the facility, which is where Shelton was placed.
Unaware that Shelton had an outstanding arrest record and never asking him why he had been incarcerated, the facility attempted to run a criminal background check - but used an incorrect birth date. Maplewood officials also refused an offer from the director at Shelton's prior nursing home to discuss his conduct at that facility. Reportedly, Shelton had pulled fire alarms there so he could go outside and use drugs.
Shelton only was at Maplewood a short time when he advised staff that he felt "increased sexual urges and thoughts". Staff reportedly suggested that he masturbate using magazines or videos, according to a state report. There was no additional monitoring or action taken by facility staff.
Around 11 p.m. on January 16, 2009, a bed check revealed that Shelton was not in his room and the rounds sheet was marked "U", which means unaccounted for. The facility allegedly has no system for locating or monitoring unaccounted for residents. Later that night, facility staff found a 69 year old woman draped over the edge of her bed, crying and moaning with pain. Shelton was discovered hiding in her bathroom; he had raped her. Shelton admitted to Elgin officers that he "assaulted that lady" even though she begged him to stop.
The victim was a married mother of two who suffered from chronic depression but was of sound mind. Maplewood officials told state authorities that the sex was consensual and that the victim "never alleged abuse in her discussion with staff immediately or later when calling for the police".
Shelton has been charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault and is waiting for his trial. The woman no longer lives at Maplewood. The facility was fined $25,000, which they are appealing.
Michael Giannini and Bryan Barrish own Maplewood Care - and thirteen other nursing home facilities in Illinois. Nine of their facilities rank below average. Maplewood Care was assessed two out of five stars in the new rating system implemented by The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, which indicates a "below average" facility. Giannini and Barrish's facilities house 2% of Illinois' nursing home population and nearly 10% of Illinois mentally ill nursing home residents. In late June 2009, Maplewood Care housed 15 felons out of approximately 200 residents. Approximately one-half of the residents are younger than 65 and more than 40% had a primary diagnosis of mental illness.
According to Elgin police reports since 2008, Maplewood has had multiple problems: packets of marijuana and cocaine found in common areas, a worker striking and bruising a 75 year-old resident, a 78 year-old resident reportedly punched in the face several times by his roommate.
According to Giannini, "We are being held to a perfect standard in an imperfect world."
A Growing Epidemic
According to a recent Chicago Tribune article, the State of Illinois relies on nursing homes to house their mentally ill residents more than any other state. An ensuing investigation by the Tribune found that government, law enforcement, and the nursing home industry itself have all failed to manage the ever-growing number of young, mentally ill residents coming from jails, shelters, and psychiatric wards.
Mentally ill residents comprise more than 15% of Illinois' total nursing home resident population of 92,225. The number of residents convicted of serious felonies is 3,000; this number includes 82 convicted murderers, 179 sex offenders, and 185 armed robbers. They live side-by-side daily with our most vulnerable citizens - the elderly.
The Terry Law Firm is experienced in handling cases of nursing home sexual abuse. Please contact us with any questions or concerns at (888) 317-2525 or visit us on our website at www.nursinghomejustice.com.