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Illinois-- January 11, 2023: A patient in their care died after being unlawfully restrained in an ambulance, 2 emergency medical service personnel
have been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death.
According to State's Attorney Dan Wright, LifeStar EMS workers Peggy Finley, 44, and Peter Cadigan, 50, have been accused with murdering 35-year-old
Earl Moore Jr. on December 18.
When police were called to Moore's house , after a call to 911, they discovered him having a hallucination episode and quickly dialed EMS.
Moore's ambulatory transportation was the responsibility of Peggy and Peter. He was allegedly tied down improperly with a medical strap over his lower
body and placed face-down on a stretcher.
"Following the arrival of EMS, Earl Moore Jr. became the victim of acts which caused his death at the hands of individuals called by police to provide emergency
medical care," Wright said.
An autopsy found that Moore's prone face-down immobilization on a paramedic transportation cot stretcher by tightened straps across the back caused compressional
and positional hypoxia, which ultimately led to his death.
The placing of a patient in such a way would significantly increase the risk of severe physical harm or death, according to the authorities, who claim they should have
recognized this based on their training and expertise.
Teresa Haley, president of the Springfield NAACP, stated that she had seen police body camera evidence that demonstrated the EMS workers lacked empathy and had a
hostile attitude toward Moore, a Black man.
“For me, it’s not about him being a Black man. It could have been a white family. If we were called in, we would have the same opinion. Everyone deserves to be treated
with dignity and respect,” she said.
Peggy and Peter were each given a $1 million bond before being sent to the Sangamon County Jail. Both people could spend up to 60 years in jail if proven guilty.
