From the State’s Attorney:
ERIC ULLRICH SENTENCED TO 12 YEARS IN THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION FOR INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER AND COMMUNICATING WITH A WITNES
The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office announces that Eric Ullrich, 52, of Richmond, IL was sentenced to 12 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for Involuntary Manslaughter and Communicating with a Witness.
The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Judge Christopher Harmon on April 25, 2025, after a partially negotiated plea of guilty to both offenses.
The minor was later pronounced dead at Northwestern Hospital McHenry.
A toxicology performed on the minor revealed his cause of death was the adverse effects of fentanyl and xylazine.
Several members from the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office testified to the investigation into the minor’s death.
Photographs and body worn camera videos documented several full and used bags of narcotics containing heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine, along with assorted narcotics paraphernalia, throughout the residence.
Evidence was also presented that Ullrich, the minor’s father and primary legal and medical caretaker, was present in the home and aware of his son’s overdose event.
Ullrich consciously chose not to provide medical treatment for his child during the overdose event and did not call 911 until Ullrich realized, hours later, that his son wasn’t breathing, and his heart had stopped.
During the investigation, Ullrich consistently provided false information to investigating officers and to his own family members regarding circumstances of his son’s death.
Judge Harmon also heard evidence from the Coroner’s Investigator and an Emergency Room Physician about the minor’s medical treatment and prognosis if treated promptly for the overdose event.
Cook County Emergency Physician and Medical Toxicologist Steven Aks testified that the minor would have survived if he had received medical attention during the overdose event. “
I think this is a really a tragic situation that happened,” Dr. Aks testified.
“In the home, if it [the minor’s overdose event] was correctly recognized and EMS was able to intervene. . . this was completely survivable.”
Evidence was also presented that while the Involuntary Manslaughter charges were pending, Ullrich called his other son from jail, with the intent to persuade his other son, and younger brother to the victim, not to testify voluntarily and truthfully regarding the death of the minor.
Ullrich was sentenced to 9 years in prison for Involuntary Manslaughter, which runs consecutive to 3 years in prison for Communicating with a Witness.
Parents have not only a moral duty, but a legal duty to protect and care for their children.
This senseless and tragic death of a 14-year-old was entirely preventable had medical treatment been sought for this child.
Fentanyl continues to be a leading cause of death among young adults across the United States.
The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office continues to remain committed to the prosecution of all those involved in drug-related deaths that occur in our communities, especially those involving the most vulnerable – our children.
This case was successfully prosecuted by McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi Freese accompanied by Chief of Staff Ashley Romito and Special Prosecutor William Bruce.
The State’s Attorney’s Office commends the diligent efforts of members of the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office in their thorough investigation into this minor’s death.
