Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Two more charged in connection with the abuse of disabled East St Louis woman

East St. Louis, Illinois - Last Thursday, FRIDA reported that three teenagers had been charged with aggravated battery in connection with the severe beating of a 34-year-old woman with developmental disabilities in East St Louis. WTHI TV reports that two more people, Phillip Gilmore and Willie Bender, have been charged with neglect of a disabled person. According to police, both men were in the home with the woman and did nothing to stop the abuse she suffered or report it to police. Bail for both men has been set at $50,000. The woman suffered broken bones and bruising as a result of the beatings and her right leg was amputated after becoming gangrenous. It is alleged that the beatings took place on a regular basis over a three year period under the direction of the woman's now deceased sister.