An unknown incident at a south suburban retirement home that led six residents to be hospitalized and left one dead has prompted a police investigation.
Dorothy Byrd was one of seven residents on the fifth floor of South Holland’s Holland Home that fell ill on Feb. 3. All six residents were taken to the hospital for the unknown illness, officials report. While five of the patients recovered from the sickness, Byrd died the following day.
An autopsy on the 98-year-old’s passing was inconclusive. Police say they are now awaiting a toxicology report to determine the cause of death.
"Everything is on hold until the results of the toxicology reports," South Holland Police Chief Greg Baker told the Chicago Tribune. "We want to know why they were all sick. Is it illness? Is it something else? Is it something criminal?"
David Mills, chief operating officer of Villa Healthcare, which manages Holland Home told the Tribune the residents were hospitalized due to respiratory and blood pressure issues, but fire officials determined the issues were not due to a gas or carbon monoxide leak in the building.
Byrd’s daughter, Sandra Peterson said she visited her mother the night before she got sick and she was in very good health for her age.
The timeline as to when the results of the toxicology report will become available has not been released. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
