A former housekeeper at Elmhurst Hospital and Downer’s Grove Rehabilitation & Nursing has been charged with sexually abusing disabled male patients and recording explicit videos without their consent. Health care providers have a legal duty to protect their patients from abuse. The experienced nursing home abuse lawyers at Levin & Perconti are dedicated to holding them accountable and recovering substantial compensation for abuse victims and their families.
On February 15, 2023, the Villa Park Police Department arrested a man on charges that he sexually abused at least six disabled men and recorded explicit videos of the men’s genitalia without their knowledge or consent.
Salvador G. “Buddy” Buenconsejo has been charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault and unauthorized video recording. If convicted, he faces 30 to 60 years in prison for each sexual assault count and five to ten years for each video recording count.
According to the arrest report, he was arrested on one count of each, but new counts will likely be added as the investigation continues.
Salvador Buenconsejo is a former housekeeper at Downers’ Grove Rehabilitation & Nursing. He also worked as an orderly at Elmhurst Hospital and an in-home caregiver for Home Care of Oak Park. He initially made contact with his alleged victims through his employment at Downers’ Grove and Elmhurst Hospital.
According to the police report, the suspect admitted to taking photographs of the men’s driver’s licenses while they were patients at the hospital. This enabled him to determine where they lived.
The police report shows that police corroborated the allegations against the suspect through the following:
- Video footage and photography on the suspect’s phone
- Explicit text messages on at least one victim’s phone
- The suspect’s confessions
The suspect’s phone contained a significant number of photographs of men’s genitalia, including of the alleged victims. The phone also allegedly contained similar explicit images from a Lombard Mall public restroom of anonymous men who were likely unaware they had been photographed. The suspect admitted to using the photos for sexual pleasure.
The Victims
The information in the police report indicates that the suspect targeted helpless men who could not defend themselves against the abuse due to physical disabilities or cognitive impairment.
Wheelchair-Bound Man at Home
The report that led to the initial arrest involved a wheelchair-bound man who is unable to care for himself. According to statements by the man and his family members, Buenconsejo washed his genitals for extended periods and drugged him until he fell asleep. The man stated that when he awoke, the suspect was performing oral sex on him.
According to the report, this occurred multiple times in the victim’s home after he left the hospital. Multiple photos and videos depicting the man’s genitalia and the molestation were found on the suspect’s phone, and the suspect admitted to performing these acts. The victim told police he was unaware of having been filmed or photographed.
The man stated that the suspect would give him an erection while washing his genitals, claiming cleaning him when he was erect was easier.
The man and his family stated that the suspect attempted to establish a romantic relationship with him, calling him daily, attempting to kiss him, and telling him he loved him. The man stated that the suspect would become angry when he didn’t say he loved him back.
He told the detective that he felt violated but allowed the suspect to continue returning because he could not find anyone else to provide the care he needed. The man stated that all the incidents occurred at the home he shared with his mother.
Elderly Patient with Breathing Problems
Another Elmhurst Hospital patient told police that Buenconsejo had washed his genitals and put his mouth on his genitalia. He was suspicious that the suspect had also taken an explicit photo. According to his daughter, the patient was confused about the molestation and thought the suspect was trying to treat a medical condition.
The patient was transferred to Lexington Square Rehabilitation Center, and video footage confirmed that the suspect continued to visit the patient. Police are unclear about how the suspect knew the patient was transferred to this facility.
According to the report, the suspect again washed his genitals for an extended period and attempted to place his mouth on them. Witnesses told police they saw the suspect wash the patient’s genitals.
Patients at Downers Grove Rehabilitation & Nursing
Risk management at Downers Grove notified police that the facility had identified more potential victims, but two had passed away. They were severely handicapped, and some had marked cognitive decline.
Based on photographic evidence, video footage, and interviews with the living patients and their representatives, police identified three more potential victims the suspect similarly abused.
A police review of the suspect’s personnel file revealed he had previously been employed by Downers Grove Rehabilitation & Nursing when it was known as Providence Rehabilitation & Nursing.
There were previous allegations of misconduct against the suspect. However, a state investigation failed to substantiate the abuse. Personnel records indicate the facility intended to fire him, but he resigned before it could.
On October 22, 2022, after the facility had become Downers Grove Rehabilitation & Nursing, it rehired Buenconsejo. The facility justified this by claiming the system did not red-flag him. However, simple due diligence would have revealed the previous allegations in his personnel record.
Buenconsejo resigned via text message on November 21, 2022, just 30 days after he was rehired. However, all these alleged incidents occurred during this period.
The patient was transferred to Lexington Square Rehabilitation Center, and video footage confirmed that the suspect continued to visit the patient. Police are unclear about how the suspect knew the patient was transferred to this facility.
According to the report, the suspect again washed his genitals for an extended period and attempted to place his mouth on them. Witnesses told police they saw the suspect wash the patient’s genitals.
What to Do If You Suspect Your Family Member Was Abused
If you suspect your loved one is a victim, contact Detective Kucera at the Villa Park Police Department as soon as possible by calling (630) 834-7447.
In addition, contact Levin & Perconti at 312-332-2872 to investigate and determine your eligibility to file a lawsuit.
Signs of Sexual Abuse
If you suspect your family member had contact with the suspect, the following are some of the signs of sexual abuse that could indicate that your family member was assaulted:
- Your loved one tells you about the abuse
- Unusual agitation
- Withdrawal
- Panic attacks
- Suicide attempts
Civil Liability
When sexual abuse is perpetrated by an employee in a nursing home or other facility, the institution may be liable. Health care facilities have a legal duty to protect their patients from abuse by doing the following:
- Completing sufficient background checks
- Checking personnel records for misconduct during previous employment
- Establishing policies and procedures that prevent abuse
- Promptly reporting allegations to the state
- Providing patients with adequate supervision
- Hiring sufficient staff to protect patients
In many cases, the alleged abuse by the suspect was committed after the patients left the facilities. However, the patient’s initial exposure to the suspect occurred because of their contact with the facilities. These facilities may be liable.
According to the police report, the facilities where that contact was initiated or continued include the following:
- Elmhurst Hospital
- Downer’s Grove Rehab & Nursing
Home Care of Oak Brook claims that only two patients had contact with the suspect. However, the suspect told patients he worked for a home care agency and may have used that agency’s name to gain access to your family member.
The alleged abuser is facing criminal prosecution, which can bring about a sense of justice. However, it does little to help your loved one recover from the harm caused by the abuse. It also fails to hold those facilities accountable who wrongfully exposed your loved one to the risk of abuse.
A civil lawsuit against these facilities can provide your family member with substantial compensation for the following:
- Medical expenses stemming from the abuse
- Expenses to transfer your family member to a safer facility
- Lost wages of family members stemming from the abuse
- Mental health counseling
- Pain and suffering
- Humiliation
How Levin & Perconti Can Help
The nursing home abuse lawyers at Levin & Perconti are nationally recognized lawyers with more than 200 years of combined experience standing up for the rights of elderly and disabled individuals against nursing homes, hospitals, and other health care providers who fail to protect them from abuse.
If you suspect Salvador Buenconsejo abused your family member, we can help you file a report with the proper authorities and seek financial compensation from the facilities and health care providers that failed to protect your family member.
Our law firm was one of the first to stand up to nursing homes, and our record of success demonstrates that we understand what it takes to hold them accountable. Our successful verdicts and settlements include the following:
- $4.1 million record-breaking jury verdict for an 85-year-old nursing home resident whose medications were mismanaged
- $2.7 million jury verdict for a 67-year-old man who died from complications stemming from a fall at a Chicago nursing home.
- $2.9 million jury verdict for the family of a 57-year-old Homewood nursing home resident who suffocated due to negligent tracheostomy tube care
- $2.8 million record pressure sore settlement against a suburban hillside nursing home and physician on behalf of a 59-year-old patient
- $1.4 million verdict against a nursing home for failure to manage a resident’s behavior, resulting in a shoving match that precipitated a 79-year-old’s death
- $1.3 million settlement for the family of a 74-year-old nursing home resident who died after being beaten by a younger resident with violent tendencies
When you hire Levin & Perconti, you can count on our attorneys to provide you with skilled, passionate representation and fight for your loved one to receive the justice and compensation they deserve. Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation.
