How Could You?Hall of Shame-Courtney Liltz case- Adult Adoptee Death UPDATED
This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.
From Schaumburg, Illinois, Adoptive mother Bonnie Liltz, and her 28-year-old adopted daughter, Courtney, were found unresponsive in their beds .
“A Schaumburg woman is accused of forcing her severely disabled daughter to take a lethal combination of drugs.”
““The subsequent investigation indicated Bonnie attempted to end Courtney’s life and commit suicide with this cocktail of various over the counter and prescription medication,” said Schaumburg Police Lt. Shawn Green.
Both were taken to Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove village. Bonnie later regained consciousness. Courtney never did.
The Cook County Medical Examiner declared Courtney brain dead on June 1.
She was removed from life support and died early Friday morning.
Bonnie Liltz is now charged with first degree murder. A judge set bond at $100,000.”
Suburban mother accused of murdering disabled daughter[WGN 6/5/15 by Gaynor Hall]
“Authorities said they believed the mother, Bonnie Liltz, 55, sought to end both her daughter’s life and her own through drug overdoses. They said she crushed up various medications and administered them to her daughter, Courtney Liltz, 28, through her feeding tube, then took some of the drugs herself with a glass of wine.
At a bond court hearing Friday afternoon, the elder Liltz appeared thin and frail. Lawyers in the case said she was treated years ago for ovarian cancer that left lasting medical challenges. As she suffered from a series of health problems in recent years, she was worried about what would happen to her daughter if she died, lawyers said.
Prosecutors said Bonnie Liltz left a suicide note for her sister and parents. The note said in part, according to court records: “I am so sorry to put you all through this but I can’t leave my daughter behind. I am having difficulty breathing now. I think my bowels are failing and if I go first, what will happen to her? I don’t want her to live in an institution for the rest of her life. She is my life.”
Her attorney, Thomas Glasgow, called it “the saddest case I’ve ever seen in more than two decades in practice.”
According to a Schaumburg police news release, authorities responded May 27 to a report of a medical emergency in the … and found Liltz and her daughter unconscious from “apparent” overdoses from “various medication.” Both women were taken to Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village, where Courtney Liltz died early Friday, never having regained consciousness, officials said.
“Subsequent investigation indicated Bonnie attempted to end Courtney’s life and then commit suicide,” the release said.
Bonnie Liltz had adopted Courtney and had been her sole caregiver, officials said. Courtney Liltz had cerebral palsy, needed constant care and had severe mental and physical disabilities, officials said.
Glasgow said Liltz had given up her job to provide “pristine care” for her daughter. When Liltz was hospitalized in 2012, she was advised to place her daughter in a residential care facility, but Liltz wanted to keep her daughter at home, the lawyer said.
Glasgow sought a low bond, saying his client was no danger to anyone in the community. Her bond was set at $100,000, and she must post $10,000 to be released.”
Schaumburg woman charged with murder in disabled daughter’s death[Chicago Tribune 6/5/15 by Robert McCoppin and George Houde]
REFORM Puzzle Piece
Update: “A Schaumburg woman has pleaded not guilty to killing her disabled daughter in a botched murder-suicide attempt.
The (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald reports 55-year-old Bonnie Liltz is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter Courtney, who suffered from cerebral palsy. Authorities accuse Liltz of giving the 28-year-old various medications in May and then taking some herself so they would both overdose.
Liltz is suffering from cancer. She recovered, but Courtney died June 5.
Liltz wrote in a suicide note that she worried about what would happen to Courtney if Liltz died first.
Her attorney, Thomas Glasgow, has said Liltz has received an outpouring of sympathy. He says the case highlights dwindling funding to help families caring for disabled children.
Liltz is next in court Aug. 6.”
Woman pleads not guilty in death of disabled daughter [The State Journal Register 7/9/15 by AP]
Update 2:“The Illinois woman who killed her daughter because she was worried about who would care for her severely disabled 28-year-old after she died, was seen smiling in court on Tuesday.
Bonnie Liltz, 56, pleaded guilty blindly to one count of involuntary manslaughter, meaning she does not know what her sentence will be despite the plea.
Although she could face a maximum of 14 years in prison, she seemed to be in good spirits as she exited the Cook County Third Municipal District Courthouse in Rolling Meadows a year after the death of her daughter.
Liltz adopted her daughter Courtney when she was four years old despite the child’s handicap.
When Liltz feared she was dying in 2015, she mixed a fatal concoction of medication for herself and her daughter, fearing if she died Courtney would be institutionalized.
In 2012, while Liltz was hospitalized for her own illnesses – reoccurring cancer and serious intestinal problems – Courtney had to stay in a private facility.
What happened to Courtney in the private facility haunted Liltz, according to her sister Susan.
‘She was filthy, her clothes were filthy, she had diaper rash. It broke Bonnie’s heart to see Courtney like that,’ Susan told the Chicago Tribune.
Determined not to let her daughter fall into the hands of another assisted living or private facility again should she succumb to her cancer, Liltz decided to take her own life and her daughter’s.
She gave Courtney, who had cerebral palsy, the overdose through her feeding tube before taking it herself with a glass of wine.
She left a suicide note, according to authorities, which read in part:
‘I am so sorry to put you all through this but I can’t leave my daughter behind. … I go first, what will happen to her?
‘I don’t want her to live in an institution for the rest of her life. She is my life.’
Susan found her sister and niece unconscious and called for help.
At the hospital Courtney died but Liltz was revived and later arrested for the murder of her daughter.
She was initially charged with first-degree murder, but upon hearing her story, the charge was lessened to the second-degree involuntary manslaughter charge.
Prosecutors seem to be leaning toward leniency in the case after friends and family painted Liltz as a loving and devoted mother who had her daughter’s best interests at heart.
They have not requested a specific sentence and did not call any witnesses to testify in favor of a harsh sentence.
Courtney, who could not talk or care for herself, attended Kirk School in Palatine until she turned 22.
Then she attended a day program, and officials from her school and day program told the Chicago Tribune Liltz was an involved and devoted mother.
They also told the Tribune that Courtney seemed happy and well cared for.
Another longtime friend said Bonnie placed Courtney in a residential program years ago but ultimately decided she didn’t want her to leave home, the Tribune reported.
Her attorney said there was no evil or malice in Liltz’s actions and said her act was out of desperation, not knowing what to do to protect Courtney if she died.
Liltz could face probation or three to 14 years in prison for the involuntary manslaughter conviction. “
[Daily Mail 5/11/16 by Kahlan Rosenblatt]
Update 3:”A terminally ill Illinois mother who killed her severely disabled daughter in 2015 committed suicide two days before she was due to return to prison.
Officials confirmed Bonnie Liltz, 57, who was set to return to prison Monday for the crime, was found inside her Schaumburg apartment Saturday.
Liltz was sentenced last year after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter of her daughter, Courtney, who was 28 at the time the mother administered her a lethal dose of prescription medication.
Previously, she revealed a motive over concern about who would care for Courtney after she passed away from her own health complications.
Liltz told her mother earlier Saturday she had plans to meet with a friend for a lunch and movie outing, according to ABC 7 Chicago.
But friends and family later discovered the suicide note which read Liltz loved them ‘very much and that she’s sorry, that she just could not go back to that place,’ her sister, Sue Liltz, revealed in a statement to the news station.
It seems a depressed Liltz overdosed on medication which she previously gave her daughter and also took herself at the time of Courtney’s tragic death.
In a note to her attorneys, Liltz wrote she grew ‘tired’ of fighting and simply wanted to ‘be with’ her daughter again.
‘All she ever wanted was to be with her Courtney. She was such, such a good mother,’ her mother, Gladys Liltz said.
Attorney Tom Glasgow, described her suicide as ‘a tragic, tragic end,’ while adding that Liltz ‘didn’t want to die in prison’ with the memories.
On the anniversary of Courtney’s passing last May, Liltz appeared in good spirits as she exited the Cook County Third Municipal District Courthouse in Rolling Meadows
She adopted Courtney when she was just four years old, despite the child’s handicap.
In 2012, while Liltz was hospitalized for reoccurring cancer and serious intestinal problems, Courtney had to stay in a private facility under horrendous conditions.
What happened to Courtney in the private facility haunted Liltz, according to her sister, Susan.
‘She was filthy, her clothes were filthy, she had diaper rash. It broke Bonnie’s heart to see Courtney like that,’ Susan told the Chicago Tribune at the time.
She gave Courtney, who had cerebral palsy, the overdose through her feeding tube before taking it herself along with a glass of wine.
During the 2015 event, the mother left another suicide note, which read in part:
‘I am so sorry to put you all through this but I can’t leave my daughter behind. … I go first, what will happen to her?
‘I don’t want her to live in an institution for the rest of her life. She is my life.’
The horrified sister found the two unconscious inside the home and called for help.
Courtney died at the hospital. Liltz was revived and later arrested.
She was initially charged with first-degree murder, but upon hearing her story, the charge was lessened to the second-degree involuntary manslaughter charge.
Prosecutors were lenient in the case after friends and family painted Liltz as a loving and devoted mother who had her daughter’s best interests at heart.
They hadn’t requested a specific sentence and did not call witnesses to testify in favor of a harsh sentence.
Courtney, who could not talk or care for herself, attended Kirk School in Palatine until she turned 22.
She was then enrolled in a day program, where officials from her school and program told the Chicago Tribune Liltz was an involved and devoted mom.
They also told the Tribune that Courtney seemed happy and cared for.
Another longtime friend said the mother placed Courtney in a residential program years ago, but ultimately decided she didn’t want her to leave home, the Tribune reported.
Her attorney argued there was no evil or malice in Liltz’s actions and said her act was out of desperation – not knowing what to do to protect Courtney if she died.
Liltz was preparing to finish her four year sentence for the involuntary manslaughter conviction prior to her suicide.”
Terminally ill mother who killed her disabled daughter to prevent her ‘from ending up in an institution’ is found dead alongside pills and a suicide note which said she was ‘tired’ of fighting
[Daily Mail 11/27/17 by Jessa Schroeder and Kahlan Rosenblatt]
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