Former Marklund employee charged with assaulting resident

BLACKBERRY TOWNSHIP – In reacting to news that an arrest was made in connection with the sexual abuse of a resident at Marklund Hyde Center Geneva, officials said in a news release that “it feels like a huge weight has been lifted.”

The Kane County state’s attorney’s and sheriff’s offices announced May 11 that Isaiah Fields, 22, of the 5000 block of West Maple Avenue in Chicago, was arrested May 10 and charged with sexually assaulting a disabled resident at Marklund, impregnating her.

Fields was a former staff member at Marklund, according to the release.

“Knowing that this nightmare has reached this stage, it feels like a huge weight has been lifted off our organization and allowed us all to breathe a sigh of relief,” Marklund President and CEO Gil Fonger said in the release. “While it cannot change the past, we are at least confident in knowing that justice will be served.”

Marklund’s administration team will continue to cooperate throughout the judicial process, according to the release.

Because of HIPAA regulations, Marklund said it cannot comment on the health status of any resident.

Sometime between Aug. 1, 2023, and Sept. 5, 2023, Fields sexually assaulted the woman, a resident of Marklund whom he knew had a severe or profound intellectual disability and was unable to give consent, according to a release from the Kane County sheriff and state’s attorney’s offices.

It was discovered in April that the woman was nearly full term and she later gave birth.

The Kane County Sheriff’s Office conducted an investigation that involved securing multiple buccal swabs – that is, obtaining cells from inside the cheek – so DNA tests from current and previous male employees could be tested with the child’s DNA.

After Fields’s DNA test came back positive, the sheriff secured a sealed order for his arrest from a judge, according to the release.

Fields was arrested and brought to the Kane County jail May 10 where he remains while his case is pending, according to the release.

Fields was charged with three counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault of a handicapped person and one count each of criminal sexual assault of a person unable to give consent and aggravated battery of a handicapped or pregnant person, all felonies, according to court records.

The most serious charges Fields faces are the three aggravated criminal sexual assault, which are Class X felonies, punishable by six to 30 years in prison and fines up to $25,000 if convicted.

Fields’s next court date is May 17, according to court records.

“The defendant is facing serious charges for his heinous actions against a vulnerable individual,” State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser said in the release.

“I want to thank the sheriff’s office for their thorough investigation. Our office is committed to seeking justice for the victim and holding perpetrators of such egregious crimes fully accountable,” Mosser said in the release. “We will vigorously prosecute this case to ensure that justice is served and to protect our community from such reprehensible acts.”

Editor’s note: A report about the arrest of Isaiah Fields needs clarification. The news release from the Kane County State’s Attorney and Sheriff gave the impression that he sexually assaulted a Marklund resident repeatedly, when there is proof of only one assault sometime between Aug. 1 and Sept. 5, 2023.