18 Prison Staff Rushed to Hospital After ‘Unknown Substance’ Exposure
JAILHOUSE SHOCK
Staff at an Illinois prison were left needing medical treatment Wednesday after becoming sick while responding to inmates who were apparently under the influence of an “unknown substance,” a spokesperson said. Eighteen workers at John A. Graham Correctional Center in Hillsboro were rushed to area hospitals, while an undisclosed number of prisoners were treated at the facility’s health-care unit. The staff became sick after one worker responded to a “medical incident involving individuals in custody who appeared to be under the influence of an unknown substance,” state Department of Corrections spokesperson Naomi Puzzello said in a statement. “All staff members who may have potentially encountered the unknown substance were also sent to a local hospital, as a precaution. All staff are stable currently and many have already been discharged,” Puzzello added, confirming that an Illinois State Police hazardous materials team is investigating the incident.