The Arlington Heights Police Department announced Friday, August 16, 2024, the conclusion of a police investigation of concern regarding health, welfare and safety of students at Westgate Elementary School, and the arrest of former Westgate Elementary School Nurse Tory Eitz.
Case also investigated by law firm Romanucci & Blandin
The law firm of Romanucci & Blandin, involved in the civil investigation of the case, applauded the Arlington Heights Police Criminal Investigations Bureau, as well as the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, for their months of work on the investigation into the conduct of former Westgate Elementary School Nurse Tory Eitz, and ultimately charging her in this case.
On behalf of the parents of the children impacted, we are satisfied and grateful for her arrest. After four distressing months, the families involved can now breathe a small sigh of relief.
— Romanucci & Blandin, law firm
The law firm of Romanucci & Blandin initially announced on April 25, 2024 that a family of a child at Westgate Elementary School believe their child was not given the proper medication and had suffered health problems because of the issue. According to Romanucci & Blandin, the child’s medical team confirmed that the child’s blood work showed suggestive signs of excessive aspirin intake and also showed positive for fentanyl. According to Romanucci & Blandin the allegations came to light the week of April 22, 2024, and an individual then disclosed only as “a school medical professional” was placed on leave at the end of April 2024 following disclosure of the problem. The law firm of Romanucci & Blandin, in early May 2024, also called for Westgate Elementary School Principal Ann Buch to be placed on administrative leave until all of the facts come out. Ann Buch is currently active as Principal of Westgate Elementary School, according to the official District 25 website for the school.
According to the Arlington Heights Police Department, on April 22, 2024 the Arlington Heights Police Department received a report from Arlington Heights School District 25 officials regarding a potential health, welfare and safety concern at Westgate Elementary School. Detectives contacted school officials and learned specific details which promptly initiated an investigation into concerns that Westgate Elementary School Nurse, Tory Eitz, was misappropriating medication prescribed to students. Through the course of the investigation, detectives reviewed physical evidence collected at the school, and information obtained from forensically-extracted data and documents obtained through legal process.
Arlington Heights police detectives conducted numerous interviews with witnesses, school staff members and parents. The investigation soon identified multiple students who were affected. Detectives gathered ample information to substantiate that Tory Eitz altered official school documents to conceal her actions. The investigation, which was complex and multifaceted, took several months to thoroughly review and analyze all aspects of the allegation. Detectives worked in concert with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Complex Narcotics Unit of the Special Prosecutions Bureau. Ultimately, a review of known case facts and evidentiary material collected established probable cause to move forward with an arrest. Detectives arrested Tory Eitz on Friday, August 16, 2024. Eitz was processed and released, in compliance with the Pretrial Fairness Act.
CHARGES
Tory E. Eitz, age 48 years old, of the block of 300 West Euclid Avenue, Arlington Heights
One count Official Misconduct – Class 3 Felony 720 ILCS 5/33-3 (a)
Five counts Forgery – Class 3 Felony 720 ILCS 5/17-3 (a)
Seven counts Endangering the Life or Health of a Child – Class A Misdemeanor 720 ILCS 5/12c-5 (a) (1)
The next scheduled court date for Tory E. Eitz is Monday, August 19, 2024 in Room 108, Cook County 3rd Municipal District Courthouse.
MORE BACKGROUND INFO …
On May 1, 2024, the law firm of Romanucci & Blandin, announced that Westgate Elementary School in Arlington Heights, Illinois did not, with intent, accurately administer prescription medications to children in its care. This disregard for students’ safety has harmed several children, including exposing at least one child to the opioid, fentanyl.
The law firm of Romanucci & Blandin further alleged that in addition to the apparent deliberate conduct of a school medical professional who substituted non-prescription medication for the children’s prescription medications, we have evidence of Westgate Elementary School Principal Ann Buch’s deliberate indifference to student safety. We have evidence that Principal Buch ignored reported concerns by parents and others about the mishandling and administration of medication as well as established policies and procedures, which exposed children to ongoing dangers to their health and well-being.
The law firm of Romanucci & Blandin further alleged that Westgate and District 25 administrators had not kept their promise to a stated commitment to transparency for families in the school’s community, and had not provided updates regarding enforcement of policy and protocol changes to keep children safe through the appropriate protection and administration of medicine by school staff. As of May 1, 2024 (more than one week after the drug misappropriation discovery), there had been no additional communication to the parents on the school district’s policy response to the crisis. The law firm of Romanucci & Blandin demanded school officials be transparent and share their plans for the safety and protection of children receiving medication at school. Romanucci & Blandin represents multiple families in this matter and immediately began a civil investigation at the end of April 2024. The families’ names and their children’s identities, health histories and exact medications are being withheld to protect the children’s privacy.
“We have information that prior to the school’s outreach to parents last week, Westgate Elementary Principal Ann Buch knew, or should have known, there were questions and concerns about the administration of children’s medication at the school. Further, we have evidence that there were also prior concerns noted about the quantity of children’s medication and/or missing medication. They disregarded the safety of their young students and have broken the trust given by these families to care for their vulnerable children.”
— Gina A. DeBoni, Romanucci & Blandin Managing Partner
On May 8, 2024, the law firm of Romanucci & Blandin announced that Arlington Heights District 25 made the decision to terminate Westgate Elementary School Nurse Tory Eitz, but that the termination was far overdue. According to Romanucci & Blandin, “(t)he reckless actions by District 25 disregarded the health and well-being of multiple children and put the children at risk. In our representation of multiple families in this situation, we learned that administration officials received reports of missing medication prior to April 22, 2024, and behaved recklessly in their roles. The decision by the Board of District 25 to terminate Nurse Eitz is an incomplete response, which should also include the placement of the appropriate leaders or individuals on administrative leave, a swift and complete independent, third-party investigation and a robust and clear set of improved policies and procedures to safeguard children and ensure the safe administration of medication at school.”
Romanucci & Blandin also indicated that District 25 damage control efforts to distance themselves from the actions of Tory Eitz are “simply smoke and mirrors in an effort to avoid municipal responsibility.” Romanucci & Blandin announced that as their civil investigation proceeded, law firm investigators acquired evidence that District 25 leaders were very aware of concerns as far back as 2022. One official stated that concerns had been documented in the past regarding the administration of medication as well as missing medication, and apologized stating that they were sorry to have broken the trust the parents have given to care for their children, according to Romanucci & Blandin.
“We believe what happened at Westgate Elementary is a reckless endangerment of the children’s physical and emotional health as well as their social and educational development. The district has a responsibility to now review and improve their policies and procedures related to administration of medication to children at school and we urge them to share that information immediately with families and the public.”
Jason J. Friedl, Romanucci & Blandin Senior Attorney
On July 15, 2024, Romanucci & Blandin announced that Arlington Heights, Illinois School District 25 (the District) officials are stonewalling efforts by attorneys for parents of Westgate Elementary School children who are seeking critical details regarding the administration of prescription medication to their young ones and details regarding District policies and processes. By refusing to cooperate with multiple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, Romanucci & Blandin believes the District continues to not only intentionally inflict emotional distress on these families but also avoided transparency for the public.
According to Romanucci & Blandin, Arlington Heights, Illinois School District 25 officials have delayed or denied several Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests by Romanucci & Blandin seeking information on who knew about concerns over medication and when and how the District handled these concerns. The legal team representing nine families has now filed a request with the Illinois Attorney General to review the District’s denials of these FOIA requests, which has both impeded the civil investigation and prevented the parents and the public from having any peace of mind about the welfare of the children in District 25. Since the District has refused to authorize an independent third-party investigation, the compliance with FOIA requests is critical.
The law firm of Romanucci & Blandin urged anyone with information about the administration of medicine to students at Westgate Elementary School to contact the legal team at Romanucci & Blandin at 312-626-7614.
^^ MOBILE? USE VOICE MIC ^^
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