School Nurse Charged In Student Medicine Swap: Arlington Heights PD

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — A former nurse at a local elementary school, who is accused of misusing the prescription drugs of students, has been charged. Tory E. Eitz, 48, of the 300 block of West Euclid Avenue, was charged with six felonies — official misconduct (one count) and forgery (five counts) — along with seven counts of endangering the life or health of a child (misdemeanor).

Eitz was arrested Friday, according to the Arlington Heights Police Department. She is due back in court on Monday.

As Patch reported in April, the family of a student at Westgate hired a lawyer after the child's doctor said their blood work showed signs of "excessive aspirin intake," and tested positive for fentanyl.

Romanucci & Blandin, a Chicago-based law firm, told Patch at the time that they have evidence the school did not "properly" dispense children's prescription medication, instead giving students substitute medications.

In May, the Arlington Heights School District 25 Board of Education voted unanimously to terminate the contract of Eitz. The board voted 6-0 in favor of her firing. Eitz had been on leave since April 22.

RELATED: Nurse Fired At Arlington Heights School Over Medicine Swap — District

According to police, detectives reviewed physical evidence collected at the school, information obtained from forensically extracted data and documents obtained through the legal process. Detectives conducted numerous interviews with witnesses, school staff members and parents as multiple students were affected.

Police said Eitz altered official school documents to conceal her actions.

"This complex and multifaceted investigation took several months to thoroughly review and analyze all aspects of the allegation," AHPD said in a news release.

The AHPD worked with the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, Complex Narcotics Unit of the Special Prosecutions Bureau. They said, ultimately, a review of known case facts and evidentiary material collected established probable cause to move forward with an arrest.