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MADISON - ST. CLAIR RECORD

Friday, March 29, 2024

Alton woman claims she was attacked by juveniles residing at Catholic Children's Home

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A group of juveniles living in a Catholic placement home attacked an Alton woman, leaving her with head, neck and face injuries, according to recently filed lawsuit.

Christina Geisen filed a lawsuit Feb. 17 in Madison County Circuit Court against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield.

Geisen claims she lived near the Catholic Children's Home at 1400 State St. in Alton when the attack occurred on Nov. 24, 2009, as Geisen attempted to enter her own home at 509 William Street.

"That on November 24, 2009, at approximately 8:30 p.m. as the Plaintiff was attempting to enter her home, she was attacked, battered and injured by residents of the aforesaid Catholic Children's Home, who had unauthorized leave from said home," the suit states.

In addition to her injuries, Geisen has suffered great emotional distress and anxiety and incurred medical costs because of the attack, the complaint says.

She blames the Diocese of Springfield for causing her injuries, saying it negligently failed to adequately supervise the inhabitants of its home and failed to secure the facility. In addition, the diocese allowed individuals with dangerous propensities to enter and exit the home at their own will, failed to maintain adequate safeguards, failed to warn the residents of Alton of the dangers of the juveniles living in the home and failed to have locks or other safeguards at the home that would prevent residents from leaving at their own free will, according to the complaint.

In her complaint, Geisen seeks a judgment of more than $50,000.

John M. English of Kassly, Bone and English in Belleville will be representing her.

Madison County Circuit Court case number: 11-L-163.

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