HILLSBORO, Ill. — The two substances that sent 18 correctional staff members to the hospital on Wednesday turned out to be baby powder and acetaminophen nasal spray, Illinois authorities said Thursday.
Officials said the staff members at John A. Graham Correctional Center in Hillsboro were treated at a hospital after they came into contact with detainees they believed were under the influence of drugs.
Some staff reported feeling dizzy, “and in an abundance of caution were transported to the hospital for observation and treatment,” Illinois Department of Corrections spokeswoman Naomi Puzzello said Thursday.
Illinois State Police conducted tests on the substances, Puzzello said, and determined they were baby powder and acetaminophen nasal spray, not fentanyl or other illicit drugs.
The police agency was also conducting tests on clothing on Thursday.
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An undisclosed number of inmates received treatment in the health care unit of the prison about 65 miles northeast of St. Louis. Puzzello did not immediately clarify if inmates or corrections staff received Narcan, a substance that reverses the effects of opioid overdose.
“The substances were identified as nonhazardous and should not have necessitated the use of Narcan or required hospitalization, but IDOC works diligently to ensure the safety of both incarcerated individuals and employees and worked swiftly to ensure everyone had access to the care they requested,” Puzzello wrote in an email.
While the substances were harmless, a union spokesman said prison officers and other staff who responded to the situation all became ill, some violently, when they came near the affected inmates.
“Those who were in proximity to the inmate were immediately overcome with a variety of symptoms: Lightheadedness, dizziness, vomiting or feeling nauseous,” Anders Lindall told The Associated Press. He is the spokesman for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, an employee union.
On Thursday, after test results were released, Lindall said in a statement: “While we have not yet seen the preliminary State Police report, we are aware of how the Corrections department has characterized it in the media. Further investigation is needed to explain the very real symptoms that employees experienced.”
Graham Correctional Center opened in 1980 and is a medium-security lockup for men with room for 1,596 inmates. The prison houses 1,328 inmates.
Josh O’Connor of The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A selection of photos from 2022 by David Carson a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer for the Post-Dispatch. In 22 years on staff he’s covered everything from war in Iraq and Afghanistan to pet of the week in St. Charles. He appreciates his family who puts up with his love for chasing news at all hours. See more of his photographs from 2022.
Dana Rieck
Dana Rieck covers police for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Call her at 314-340-8344 or send your tips to drieck@post-dispatch.com.
