CENTRALIA, Ill. (AP) — A former mental health technician at an Illinois state home for the severely disabled has been charged with felony neglect in connection with a deaf and blind resident’s choking death following what co-workers called a “punishment” shower.

A grand jury indicted 25-year-old Christopher Michael Duguay of Alton last week for the March death of 46-year-old Todd Clementz at the Warren G. Murray Developmental Center in southern Illinois. The indictment was made public on Thursday.

A jury in a coroner’s inquest last month ruled Clementz’s death a homicide. An autopsy determined Clementz died from choking on cold water as well as regurgitated food.

Duguay was released from custody on a $25,000 bond and is due in court in early January. Online court records don’t list an attorney on his behalf.

 

 

 

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.