Democrat Dave Bachmann Questions Marlene Lantz’ Role in Woodstock Residence Nursing Home Death Probe

Against the backdrop of the indictments concerning deaths at the Woodstock Residence by McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi, the Democratic Party candidate for Coroner has issued the following press release:

Democratic Party coroner candidate David Bachmann wants to know what involvement, if any, Republican incumbent Marlene Lantz had in the Woodstock Residence nursing home deaths.

“With McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi having just announced the indictments of two nurses at the nursing home, I believe it is reasonable to ask what Lantz did and when she did it?” Bachmann said.

“There are really only 2 questions to be answered regarding the nursing home issue,” he continued.

“Did the nursing home notify Lantz upon each death as required? If so, why didn’t she catch the spike in death rates and, at minimum, get toxicology?”

“If the nursing home bi-passed her, then she did no wrong…but in the obituaries, they always state place of death… so it could have been caught there as well…BUT THATS JUST ME… I SEE TOO MUCH… 30 years worth! I know what I see and don’t see.. and as a tax payer, Im bothered..as a professional, I’m mystified!

“The president of the Illinois Coroners Association and the State Inspector told me that MOST counties require the nursing home to call the coroner for permission to move the body from a nursing home.. UNLESS the doctor is bedside at time of death..( which is extremely rare.)

“Had I been coroner, I would have began investigating each death when the death total at a nursing home exceeded the preceding 3 years total within the first 9 months of the year in question. This obviously was NOT done by Coroner Lantz in the Woodstock Nursing home case.

“From 18 deaths in 2005 to 34 deaths by September of 2006?

“I would have personally gone to the nursing home on each death after the 18th death to research the records of each patient.

“Also, did the deaths seemingly occur on a particular shift? If so, this would have certainly added to my concern.

“Had Coroner Lantz taken charge of these bodies from the Woodstock nursing home after the 18th death, she should have at least preserved “toxicology” on each body.. which would have shown any drugs in the body and the amounts of any drugs.

“Potentially, deaths could have been prevented if the charges and allegations are proved true.

“Once the body was released and embalmed, it was too late.”

An Illinois coroner I know from another county told me, “The proper procedure for notification is that the coroner be notified at the time the doctor of that patient is notified before a funeral home is notified.

“Either the doctor or the coroner will release the body to the funeral home.

“My nursing homes as a general rule will call coroner first on the list. There is a need to know of any problems that have occurred or contributed to the death. I hope this has answered your question.

“Yes the nursing home must call the coroner before a body can be released to a funeral home. If any of your nursing homes are not complying to this, a phone call or a visit is in order.”

(These quotes are direct quotes from several Illinois County Coroners that I have contacted.)

“I have to make the statement that I am not privy to any of the investigations regarding the Woodstock Residence cases,” Bachmann stated. “My comments are on the operations and management of the McHenry County Coroner’s office, given the information provided in the NW Herald and the Public News Conference held by the McHenry County States Attorney’s office.”

I wrote a related article reflecting on how the Lake County Coroner in the 1970’s discovered foul play in nursing home deaths in Zion.


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