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A 22-year-old Chicago man has been charged with sexual assault after a disabled resident at a Geneva nursing home gave birth to a child.
Kane County prosecutors say an arrest warrant was issued for Isaiah Fields, of the 5000 block of West Maple Avenue on Chicago’s Northwest Side, after his DNA test came back positive. Fields was taken into custody on Friday.
Victim Gave Birth at the Facility Last Month
The victim is a longtime resident of the Marklund Hyde Center in Geneva, a western suburb. Administrators of the facility learned she was pregnant last month, and she subsequently gave birth at Delnor Hospital in Geneva.
In a statement, the state’s attorney called the actions “heinous against a vulnerable individual.” Prosecutors charged Fields with sexual assault and battery, saying he knew the victim had severe disabilities and that she was unable to give consent.
Prosecutors allege Fields assaulted the woman between Aug. 1 and Sept. 5 of 2023. The Kane County Sheriff’s Office had collected DNA samples from current and previous male employees of Marklund before arresting Fields.
Marklund is a non-profit founded in 1954 that provides 24-hour residential, educational and therapeutic services to people with severe and profound developmental disabilities.
Victim’s Pregnancy Went Unnoticed Because She Suffered a Condition That Caused Her Abdomen to Swell Up
Marklund President and CEO Gil Fonger released a statement on Saturday afternoon that said in part:
“Since we first reported the case of sexual abuse against a Marklund resident on April 9, we have worked closely with the Kane County Sheriff’s Office. We are grateful for their diligent efforts, as well as the support of the Kane County State’s Attorney, which has led to the arrest of a former Marklund staff member.”
When asked how a longtime resident’s pregnancy could go unnoticed Fonger told a local news outlet that the victim is non-verbal and physically disabled and has a distended abdomen due to her condition that likely masked the pregnancy.
Fields is scheduled to be back in Kane County Court on Friday.
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