A caregiver will spend the next 25 years in prison after he sexually assaulted and impregnated a severely disabled woman who lives at the Illinois facility where he worked, according to prosecutors.
Isaiah Fields, 23, took advantage of the 43-year-old woman with Rett Syndrome — which causes her to have the cognitive conditions of an infant — inside the Marklund Hyde Center between Aug. 1, 2023 and Sept. 5, 2023, the Daily Herald reported.
“There is no reason or set of experiences that could justify hurting anyone in any way,” the sicko reportedly said in Kane County court as he tried to apologize to the victim’s family during his sentencing Friday.
The woman, who has lived at the center that serves disabled people since she was in her early 20s, is unable to read, write, talk or even stand, as well as consent to sex, prosecutors noted, according to the newspaper.
The stomach-churning crime was only uncovered when the woman was checked out at a hospital for liver and gallbladder issues, and doctors discovered she was at least 31 weeks pregnant, the newspaper reported.
A baby boy was born the next day because the woman was suffering from preeclampsia. The newborn died after spending 11 weeks in a neonatal intensive care unit.
“[The baby] didn’t live long in this world,” prosecutor Matthew Rodgers said during the sentencing, the Daily Herald reported. “But simply by coming into this world, he did justice for his mother.”
The child’s DNA was matched up with Fields, leading to his charges, the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office said.
He pleaded guilty in January to aggravated criminal sexual assault.
On top of the jail term, Fields will be designated as a sex offender when he’s released.
“Isaiah Fields preyed on this vulnerable victim because of her physical and intellectual disability,” Rodgers said in a statement.
“While no sentence can undo the harm caused, today’s outcome ensures that the defendant will be held accountable for his despicable act. It also represents justice for the victim, her family and the Marklund community.”
If you have been sexually assaulted and live in New York, you can call 1-800-942-6906 for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the state, you can dial the 24/7 National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
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