A health technician was charged after she allegedly struck a severely disabled resident in the head at a state care facility in Waukegan, prosecutors said.
Jazmen E. Graham, 32, of Waukegan, was charged with one count of aggravated battery of a person with an intellectual disability, a Class 3 felony.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Kelse Banks said Graham is a mental health technician who was working at Ann Kiley Developmental Center in Waukegan.
The center serves a broad spectrum of individuals with moderate to high behavioral and low to moderate medical needs.
Banks said the victim in the case is a severely developmentally disabled resident with the mental capacity of a one or two-year-old, who is also non-verbal.
A witness saw the victim trying to get into a cabinet in the kitchen on May 19.
Graham came up to the victim and tried to redirect them but the victim did not listen, Banks said.
Banks said Graham grabbed a serving spoon and hit the victim in the head approximately three times.
The victim walked away and went into the living room where they were observed to be bleeding from the head, Banks said.
The case was investigated by the Illinois State Police, which obtained a warrant in late August for Graham.
She later turned herself in to the Lake County Jail on the warrant.
Attorney Elliot Pinsel said Graham, who he is representing, fully cooperated in the investigation.
Graham only has a prior driving while license suspended but no other criminal history, Pinsel said, adding that Graham is a single mother of three.
Lake County Judge George Pappas set bond at $50,000 during an initial hearing earlier this month.
Graham pleaded not guilty to her charge and is scheduled to appear in court on October 24 for a case management hearing.