Former Mental Health Worker Faces Sex Charges: Officials

ELGIN, IL — A former Illinois Department of Human Services social worker at Elgin Mental Health Center, who former patients say had sexual contact with them, is now facing charges from the Kane County State's Attorney's Office. Christy Lenhardt, 53, is facing a total of 14 felony charges.

The alleged sexual misconduct first came to light in 2017 when Ben Hurt, 24, of Aurora, who was sent to the state-run facility after pleading not guilty by reason of insanity in 2014 to assaulting a police officer, sued the Department of Human Services. He claimed that Lenhardt had kept him at the facility as a sex slave after his release date.

Further allegations from former patient Mark Owens said she threatened to change Owens' diagnosis or medication if he denied her sexual advances.

See more:

• Elgin Social Worker Kept Patient As Sex Slave: Lawsuit
• 2nd Suit Alleges Sex Abuse At Elgin Mental Health Center

Kane County prosecutors allege that Lenhardt "engaged in sexual conduct with the victim" between November 2014 and July 2017.

Lenhardt, of South Elgin She's being charged with eight counts of sexual misconduct with a person with disabilities, a class three felony, and six counts of official misconduct, also a class three felony.

A Kane County judge issued a warrant for Lenhardt's arrest Wednesday, and she was brought in on Thursday with a bail of $100,000 with 10 percent to apply.

Lenhardt's initial court appearance will be April 20 at the Kane County Judicial Center.

If convicted of the charges, she will face anything from probation to five years' imprisonment.

Article image provided by Kane County State's Attorney's Office