EMT Who Previously Ran Over Child but was Not Charged, Now Being Charged for Murder of Patient Put Face Down in Stretcher

Peggy Finley and Peter Cadigan, emergency workers from Springfield Illinois were charged with first-degree murder after a patient they transported died in the ambulance.

Both of the EMTs were arrested on January 9th. They were charged with first-degree murder in the death of 35-year-old Earl Moore Jr. Moore died of asphyxiation, “compressional and positional asphyxia due to prone facedown restraint on a paramedic transportation cot/stretcher by tightened straps across back and lower body in the setting of lethargy and underlying chronic alcoholism,” according to coroner Jim Allmon.

According to a statement from the police, Moore had called the police reporting several people inside his home with firearms. Police determined Moore was suffering hallucinations from alcohol withdrawal. At that time an ambulance was dispatched as officers requested medical assistance for Moore.

Lifestar Ambulance Service employed the pair, who were dispatched after a 911 call came in.

Body cam video was released by the police. It shows Finley entering the rear bedroom of the home. A police officer briefed her on the patient, she is heard on the video yelling at Moore. “You’re gonna have to walk ’cause we ain’t carrying you. I am seriously not in the mood for this dumb sh*t.”

Later two officers are seen helping Moore outside onto the gurney. Cadigan positioned Moore then both EMTs strapped him to the stretcher facedown.

Sangamon County State’s Attorney Dan Wright shared, “based upon their training, experience, and the surrounding circumstances that such acts would create bodily harm and/or death, in violation of the Criminal Code of the state of Illinois, potential penalties faced by both defendants include a range of 20 to 60 years in the Department of Corrections.”

Body camera video of the incident can be seen in the tweet below:

Two Illinois paramedics, Peter Cadigan & Peggy Finley, charged with murder after a patient died when they strapped him face down on stretcher for ambulance ride to the hospital

Earl Moore was suffering from alcohol related hallucinations at the time of his death pic.twitter.com/KnGfxZQUif

— Ronald Kelly (@RonK3l) January 14, 2023

Cadigan had previously been investigated for the death of a 7-year-old boy Truvonte Edwards in April of 2008.

The boy was riding his bike when he was struck by an ambulance that Cadigan was driving. The boy died in the hospital the next day. Edwards’s parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Cadigan in 2010.

Sangamon County Circut Court ruled in 2014 Cadigan was not culpable for failing to stop in time. An appeal of the case confirmed the decision and the case was dismissed. Cadigan was never charged criminally for the death of Edwards.