Group of inmates reportedly hospitalize suspect accused of beating baby to death — and the cameras malfunctioned during the attack
Jail cameras malfunctioned during a prison attack on a man who was jailed for reportedly beating his 3-month-old baby to death.
What are the details?
A group of inmates attacked another inmate who had been charged in the beating death of his 3-month-old son on Nov. 26.
The inmate, 25-year-old Devin O'Daniell, was beaten to the point of needing to be hospitalized, according to WSIL-TV. The attack occurred inside an Illinois jail facility in late November.
The assault, however, was not captured by surveillance cameras, according to a spokesperson for the Williamson County Sheriff's Department, because the system had malfunctioned.
Chief Deputy Scott McCabe told the station that the surveillance cameras are working now.
"We have had trouble over the past couple of months with the surveillance system," he said. "We have been working on the issue."
The system was installed in 2012, and McCabe said that the facility has had issues with the cameras in the past. According to the station, the county is taking bids for contract work to revamp the system.
Williamson County Commissioner Ron Ellis told the station that the county is getting the ball rolling on a system overhaul.
"The people who are in the jail are potentially in harm's way, and the guards are in harm's way," he said. "Hopefully within the next few days, 10 days, something like that, before Christmas, we can [get] everything secured where it's at least in the process of being fixed."
What else?
O'Daniell, who has been charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery to a child, aggravated domestic battery, and domestic battery, has returned to the facility. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in the case at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 18 and is being held on $1 million bond.
A news release from Williamson County State's Attorney Brendan Zanotti said his office is still awaiting medical records from a St. Louis hospital where the baby was pronounced dead and said once those are made available, more charges could be considered.
