Mental health social worker sentenced in sex misconduct

ST. CHARLES TOWNSHIP – A former social worker at Elgin Mental Health Center pleaded guilty to felony sexual misconduct with a person with disabilities, and was sentenced Monday to 180 days in jail.

Christy L. Lenhardt, 55, of South Elgin, was initially charged in April 2018, with eight counts of sexual misconduct with a person with disabilities, a Class 3 felony, and six counts of official misconduct, also a Class 3 felony.

Lenhardt was sentenced to 2 1/2 years of probation as part of a plea agreement, in which the other felony charges were dropped, according to the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Her offenses took place between Nov. 2014 and July 2017 with a patient at the mental health center, officials said.

Lenhardt must follow all recommendations of adult court services and register for life as a sexual offender, officials said.