A few additional details regarding the FBI’s investigation into a May incident at the Western Illinois Correctional Center in Mt. Sterling have come to light.
It was announced last week that the Illinois Department of Corrections and Illinois State Police, who were overseeing an investigation into an incident at the Western Illinois Correctional Center on May 17th, had officially turned over the investigation to the FBI.
WLDS/WEAI News reached out to Department of Corrections regarding the incident and subsequent investigation. Though the department could not accommodate our news department with an interview, Lindsey Hess with the Illinois Department of Corrections’ media relations provided some additional details.
In a statement from Hess, she confirms that the FBI is indeed investigating the incident that took place on May 17th at the Western Illinois Correctional Center in Mt. Sterling, Illinois. According to Hess, the May 17th incident resulted in one offender being airlifted to a regional hospital, where they were placed in intensive care and has since passed away.
Hess also says that several staff members at the Western Illinois Correctional Center have since been place on administrative leave. In terms of where the Illinois Department of Corrections currently stands on the issue, Hess’s statement says that “The IDOC takes safety of staff and offenders seriously and any activity that compromises that is not tolerated.”
WLDS/WEAI News hopes to provide further information regarding the investigation as it continues and additional details become available.