Woman Arrested & Charged with Elder Abuse, Domestic Battery

Fox Lake, IL - Fox Lake Police Officers have arrested a woman for neglecting and abusing a wheelchair bound, elderly man under her care.

On August 06, 2024, at 1540 hours, Fox Lake Police Detectives took a report that 55-year-old Lynda Serrano of Spring Grove was abusing the elderly male veteran under her care. The victim informed medical staff at James Lovell VA Medical Center of the abuse and neglect after arriving with multiple bruises on his body. He disclosed that the bruising resulted from being pushed by Serrano and subsequently falling out of his wheelchair onto the floor.

Investigators determined that Serrano had been providing the victim with in-home care since December 2023. In that time, Serrano regularly physically abused and neglected the victim. On multiple occasions, the victim was left on the floor for hours after falling and was refused assistance with bathing or personal hygiene. Serrano also left the victim on the toilet for hours and refused to allow him to use the bathroom by blocking access for his wheelchair.

The Fox Lake Police Department obtained an arrest warrant for Serrano on August 19, 2024. A McHenry County Judge signed the warrant into effect for 3 counts of Elder Abuse or Neglect by a Caregiver (720 ILCS 5/12.4A(b)(1) a class 3 felony, 1 count of Domestic Battery Bodily Harm (720 ILCS 5/12-3.2(a)(1) a class A misdemeanor, and 1 count of Domestic Battery Physical Contact (720 ILCS 5/12-3.2(a)(2) a class A misdemeanor.

Serrano was arrested by Fox Lake Detectives on September 13, 2024, at 8:45 AM and was transported to the McHenry County Jail. Serrano was released by the court on pretrial conditions and ordered not to have any contact with the victim or his residence.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

End of Release