Autopsy of A Heinous Hate Crime at Vencor Northlake Hospital, Illinois USA

Shaku S. Teas M.D.

1123 Ashland

River Forest, IL  60305

(708)  379-5733

 

AUTOPSY REPORT

Case # 189 - 98

Name:  Roberto Hung                                           Date of Death:  6/25/98

Address:  502 S. Westmore                                Date of Autopsy:  6/18/98-6/25/98

                 Lombard, IL                                         Time of Autopsy: 7:30 am

Place of Autopsy:  Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard, IL

Age:   67                                Sex:  Male                 Race:  Cuban Chinese

EXTERNAL EXAMINATION:   The body is apparently that of a 67 year old, Cuban Chinese male weighing approximately 175-185 pounds and measuring 63 ½ inches.  Rigor mortis is minimally present throughout.  Liver mortis is present in the posterior dependent parts.  The body is received unclothed.

     The hair is black with gray in it and a receding hairline.  The eyes have been capped.  The irises are brown.  The corneas are cloudy.  The pupils are dilated.  There is slight icteric jaundice in both eyes.  The right eye shows areas of petechiae in the medial angle.  The external eaars and nose are intact.  The lower teeth are present.  The upper teeth are absent.  The right side of the face shows two superficial areas of abrasion measuring 0.5 x 0.6 cm.  The neck is short.  There is a tracheostomy opening in the suprasternal notch with a tracheostomy tube in place with gauze underneath it.

     The chest is symmetrical.  The abdomen is slightly distended.  There is a gastrostomy tube in the left upper quadrant.  The external genitalia are that of a normal male and both the scrotum and the penis are markedly edematous.  The back shows lividity.

     The lateral aspect of the left thigh shows a scar measuring 1.5 cm. in diameter.  The anterior aspect of the right knee shows an irregular scar measuring about  3 cm. x 2 cm.

     There is marked edema of the anterior shins and the dorsal aspects of both feet.  There is a name tag on the left toe.

     The entire body is markedly edematous.  The dorsal aspects of both hands are somewhat edematous.

EVIDENCE OF TREATMENT

1.     The suprasternal notch shows a tracheostomy opening as has been indicated.  The underlying trachea shows an opening with also a small opening below the main opening.

2.    The left upper quadrant of the abdomen shows a gastrostomy tube in place and the stomach opening is adherent to the anterior abdominal wall.

3.    There is a catheter in theurethra.

4.    The right wrist shows multiple hospital tags with the decedent’s name on it.

5.    The left anguinal region shows an intravenous catheter in place.

INTERNAL EXAMINATION

     Body Cavities:  The usual Y-shaped incision is made.  Both pleural cavities contain about 1000 -1200 ml. of serous fluid.  There is a large amount of serous fluid in the abdominal cavity.  The muscles are pale and markedly edematous.

      Cardiovascular System:  The heart is enlarged.  The epicardial surface is smooth.  The right ventricle is dilated.  The left ventricle is hypertrophied measuring  1.8 cm. in width.  The apical region on cut surface shows fatty infiltration of the myocardium and also an area of softening and necrosis are slightly thickened.  There are focal areas of fibrosis in the tips of the papillary muscle.  The left main coronary artery shows atherosclerosis with about 30% occlusion of the lumen.  The left anterior descending coronary artery proximally shows about 80% occlusion of the lumen by atherosclerosis and the left anterior descending coronary artery shows mild atherosclerosis.  The left circumflex coronary artery proximally shows 30% occlusion, and the rest is patent.  The right coronary artery is small  and shows mild atherosclerosis.  The aorta shows a moderate amount of atherosclerosis.  The pulmonary arteries are patent.

     Respiratory System:  The lungs show focal areas of adhesion to the thoracic wall.  The pleural surfaces are dull.  The apical region shows emphysema.  The cut surface of both the lungs are markedly congested and show a large amount of edema fluid with focal areas of consolidation.

     Neck Organs:  The neck organs are examined last by making a vertical incision in the neck.  The tongue is intact.  The larynx is intact; however, there is marked edema of the aryepiglottic fold and the muscles, and there is also submucosal edema of the larynx.  The upper trachea shows a tracheostomy opening and also a small opening below it.  The margins are slightly indurated.  There is definite hemorrhage or areas of hemorrhage around the tracheostomy.

     Hepatobiliary System:  The liver is slightly enlarged.  The margins are blunted.  The cut surface has a mottled appearance consistent with chronic passive congestion and is markedly congested.  The gallbladder is edematous and contains about 10 ml. of bile.  The external bile ducts appear to be patent.

     Genito-Urinary System:  The kidneys are small.  The capsules strip with difficulty.  The surface of both the kidneys are markedly granular and the cut surface shows an irregular cortex.  The calyceal system is slightly dilated.  The urinary bladder shows marked submucosal hemorrhages.  The prostate is of normal shape and size.

     Endocrine System:  The pancreas is of normal shape and size.  The cut surface is firm and lobulated.  The adrenal glands and thyroid gland are  unremarkable.

      Gastrointestinal System:  The esophagus is intact and shows slight edema of the wall.  The stomach is empty and there is petechial hemorrhages seen.  The mucosal surface is slightly congested.  The mucosa of the duodenum shows congestion of he mucosa and blood tinged mucoid material.  The ileum is collapsed.  The entire colon contains greenish and discolored fecal material.

     Musculo-Skeletal System:  The skeleton appears to be intact.  An incision is made in the left arm anteriorly and the underlying muscle show marked edema, hemorrhage.

    Central Nervous System:  The scalp is opened by a biparietal incision.  There is subgaleal hemorrhage.  The skull is intact.  The durameter is adherent to the skull and shows suture material on the right side.  The leptomeninges are thickened.  The sulci are widened and the gyri are narrowed.  The brain is soft.  The vessels at the base of the brain pursue a normal anatomical course and show mild atherosclerosis.  The brain is saved for the neuropathologist.

MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION

Lung:             There are focal areas of intra-alveolar hemorrhage.  The interstitial tissue shows fibroblastic proliferation.  Some of the alveoli contain eosinophilic material.  The bronchioles are obliterated by fibroblastic proliferation which extends to the alveoli in areas.  The proliferation shows papillary formation with reactive pneumocytes.

Heart:             The nuclei are enlarged.  There are extensive areas of fibrosis.

                       The coronaries show marked atherosclerosis.

Liver:              The sinusoids are markedly dilated.  The portal triads show mononuclear infiltration.

Spleen:          Shows congestion.

Kidney:          Many of the glomeruli are hyalinized.  The vessels show sclerosis.  Focal mononuclear infiltration is seen.  The mesengium is widened.  Occasional glomeruli show rounded, eosinophilic nodules.

Urinary           Shows submucosal hemorrhage

Bladder:

Pancreas:  There is focal interstitial fibrosis.  Adequate islets are seen.

Thyroid:          No histopathology.

Adrenal:         No histopathology.

G.I. Tract:       The esophagus and small bowel are unremarkable.

Prostate:        Shows glandular hyperplasia.

 

DIAGNOSIS:          1.   Hypoxic/Ischemic encephalopathy.

                                2.   Cerebral hemorrhage and infarct, old.

3.   Cardiomegaly with biventricular dilatation and left     

      ventricular hypertrophy.

4.   Coronary atherosclerosis.

5.   Myocardial fibrosis.

6.   Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP)

7.  Pulmonary edema and congestion.

8.  Bilateral pleural effusions.

9.  Emphysema.

10. Chronic passive congestion of the liver.

11. Arterionephrosclerosis.

12. Status post tracheostomy and feeding gastrostomy.

13. Acute renal failure (clinical) probably secondary to

      tubular necrosis.

14. Hemoptysis, terminal (clinical)

   

 

For the record, on June 18, 1998, Roberto Hung was hospitalized at Vencor Hospital, 365 East North Avenue in Northlake, Illinois  60164, where he was murdered, throttled and bludgeoned by Respiratory Therapist Ben Aguilar while he was asleep at the Special Care Unit under the care of Dr. Paul Grodzin, M.D., Dr. Raied Abdullah, M.D., Dr. Frankle M.D., Dr. Oliveras M.D., Janelle Nance R.N., Director of Nursing, and other healthcare staff at Vencor Northlake Hospital in Cook County, Illinois Telephone:  708/345-8100, Fax: 708/345-0470

Mr. Roberto Hung was abused, throttled, and murdered by Respiratory Therapist Ben Aguilar at Vencor Northlake Hospital under the care of  Dr. Paul Grodzin, Dr. Raied Abdullah, and other physicians, nurses, and staff on June 18, 1998.  Northlake Police Department Investigation Complaint No. 98-1392 filed by Michael Brletich, Officer No. 140, Sargent D. DiIulio on June 18, 1998.  The Autopsy was performed and certified by Shaku Teas, M.D., Forensic Pathologist, 1123 Ashland, River Forest, Illinois  60305, Tel: 708-366-4389. at Brust Funeral Home in Lombard.

Brust Funeral Home and Shaku Teas, M.D. Forensic Pathologist performed the Autopsy and found that Mr. Roberto Hung suffered and died from severe bleeding and internal damages to the respiratory tract, lungs, and puncture to his heart which caused his death by Respiratory Therapist Ben Aguilar under medical care of Dr. Paul Grodzin, M.D., and Dr. Raied Abdullah, M.D., at Vencor Northlake Hospital in Cook County, Illinois.

Mr. Roberto Hung was a Traumatic Brain Injury Patient who was injured from a severe and blunt hit to the head at his Lombard home on December 22, 1996, after he returned home from working at The Pampered Chef in Addison and Dominick’s Food Stores in Oakbrook Terrace. 

Mr. Roberto Hung has been an Illinois Victim of Heinous Hate Crimes who was hospitalized at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, Edwards Hospital, Manor Care Nursing Home, Marianjoy Rehabilitation Community Center, Elmhurst Memorial Hospital, Vencor Northlake Hospital in Northlake, Illinois.  Mr. Roberto Hung was fully insured by Medicare/Medicaid, Blue Cross Blue Shield, The Principal Financial Group, Physicians’ Mutual, COBRA, etc.

Vencor Northlake Hospital 365 East North Avenue, Northlake Illlinois  60164 USA