Romanucci & Blandin calls for immediate transparency and policy/protocol changes to protect children following medication swap at Westgate Elementary School

Calls to put principal on leave while a third-party investigates

CHICAGO (May 1, 2024) – Westgate Elementary School in Arlington Heights, Illinois did not, with intent, accurately administer prescription medications to children in its care.  This disregard for students’ safety has harmed several children, including exposing at least one child to the opioid, fentanyl. In addition to the apparent deliberate conduct of a school medical professional who substituted non-prescription medication for the children’s prescription medications, we have evidence of Westgate Elementary School Principal Ann Buch’s deliberate indifference to student safety. We have evidence that Principal Buch ignored reported concerns by parents and others about the mishandling and administration of medication as well as established policies and procedures, which exposed children to ongoing dangers to their health and well-being.

Our belief, therefore, is that the appropriate next step is to place Principal Buch on leave pending a thorough third-party, independent investigation in addition to the ongoing investigation by the Arlington Heights Police Department. Upon information and belief, a school medical professional was placed on leave last week following disclosure of the problem.

Further, administrators have not kept last week’s stated commitment to transparency for families in the school’s community and have not provided updates regarding enforcement of policy and protocol changes to keep children safe through the appropriate protection and administration of medicine by school staff. To date there has been no additional communication to the parents on the school district’s policy response to the crisis. We demand school officials be transparent and share their plans for the safety and protection of children receiving medication at school.

The allegations came to light the week of April 22, 2024, when parents say the school informed them their child may not have received the appropriate medication at school.  We have strong evidence that children at Westgate Elementary School suffered health and medical problems because they did not receive their prescribed medication and that at least one child’s medical team has confirmed that the blood work analysis was suggestive of signs of excessive aspirin intake and was positive for fentanyl.  Test results are pending for other children.

Romanucci & Blandin represents multiple families in this matter and immediately began a civil investigation last week.  The families’ names and their children’s identities, health histories and exact medications are being withheld to protect the children’s privacy.  The legal team includes Romanucci & Blandin Founding Partner Antonio M. Romanucci, Managing Partner Gina A. DeBoni, Senior Attorney Daisy Ayllon, and Senior Attorney Jason J. Friedl. 

“We have information that prior to the school’s outreach to parents last week, Westgate Elementary Principal Ann Buch knew, or should have known, there were questions and concerns about the administration of children’s medication at the school. Further, we have evidence that there were also prior concerns noted about the quantity of children’s medication and/or missing medication. They disregarded the safety of their young students and have broken the trust given by these families to care for their vulnerable children,” said Romanucci & Blandin Managing Partner Gina A. DeBoni.

“We believe what happened at Westgate Elementary is a reckless endangerment of the children’s physical and emotional health as well as their social and educational development. The district has a responsibility to now review and improve their policies and procedures related to administration of medication to children at school and we urge them to share that information immediately with families and the public,” said Romanucci & Blandin Senior Attorney Jason J. Friedl.

“We are calling for Westgate Elementary School Principal Ann Buch to be placed on administrative leave until all of the facts come out. This very serious abuse of the community’s trust took place on her watch and presented a tremendous health risk to our child,” said the parents of Doe Family 1.

“Our family remains extremely distressed by this situation and we continue to be concerned for our child’s well-being and the impact this could have on our child. The reverberations of this situation may last a very long time,” said the parents of Doe Family 2.

“We trusted the school to act to protect and care for our child’s medical needs when we could not be present with them, and we will stand along with the other families involved calling for accountability,” said the parents of Doe Family 4.

Anyone with information about the administration of medicine to students at Westgate Elementary School is encouraged to contact the legal team at Romanucci & Blandin at 312-458-1000.

To learn more, please visit our page on the situation.

About Romanucci & Blandin, LLC

Romanucci & Blandin is a Chicago-based national trial practice committed to fighting for victims of negligence, abuse and wrongful death through impact litigation. For more than 25 years, we have secured more than $1 billion in verdicts and settlements for our clients - many for millions of dollars or record-setting awards. Our experience ranges from mass shootings, civil rights and police misconduct to medical malpractice, sexual abuse, motor vehicle accidents or workplace injury cases involving individual or institutional negligence. Romanucci & Blandin is a valuable legal resource to individuals and groups of people who have been injured by others’ wrongdoing. Referring attorneys and clients say several factors distinguish our firm: Our record of success, depth of experience, talented and dedicated legal team, tireless preparation, and strategic use of communications to fight for the rights of those whose lives have been changed forever. We differ from other personal injury firms in that our work does not stop when a verdict or settlement is secured. Our clients’ experiences often inspire us to commit resources to transforming lives and communities. For more information about Romanucci & Blandin, please visit: www.rblaw.net.