Bond hearing for man accused of child endangerment delayed pending COVID-19 test results

The bond hearing for a Harvard man accused of allowing his 6-year-old son to “become severely malnourished” was postponed Wednesday because of a suspected COVID-19 scare in the McHenry County Jail, where he has been held since his arrest last week.

William S. Wisner, 40, along with his wife, Margaret A. Wisner, 48, is charged with child endangerment, aggravated domestic battery and reckless conduct, according to court records.

The couple “caused [their son] to become severely malnourished after failing to provide adequate nutrition and medical care to [their son],” according to the criminal complaint filed in the McHenry County courthouse.

Authorities said their son, who is autistic, weighed about the size of a 2- or 3-year-old child when he was taken to a hospital in mid-November.

At that time, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services staff were called and the child along with a sibling, who also is autistic, were taken into protective custody.

William S. Wisner’s attorney, Bill Bligh, who also represents Margaret A. Wisner, told judge Michael Coppedge on Wednesday that the inmate suspected of having the virus would be tested.

Margaret A. Wisner was granted a bond reduction Tuesday from $200,000 to $90,000. She posted the required 10% which is $9,000 Tuesday and was released.

Inmates who test positive are quarantined in their cells for 14 days, said McHenry County Sheriff’s Deputy Tim Creighton in an email. They are monitored by both correctional officers and medical personnel.

Should he test negative, Wisner could be back in court Friday for a bond hearing, Bligh said.

Anyone in direct contact with inmates that are in quarantine wear full PPE, including Tyvek suits, masks, goggles and gloves.

“As a precaution, [Wednesday] we asked the courts to move court dates of seven inmates,” Creighton said in an email. “We tested the inmates and they are not confirmed positive, however, we will keep them out of the courts until the results of the tests come back.”

Since the pandemic began, Creighton said there have been seven confirmed cases in the jail: One in April, five in July and one in December.

“The December case came in today and had tested positive prior to coming to this facility,” Creighton said. “The [inmate] is on quarantine and is not in or from general population. These cases are not part of the inmates that did not appear in court today as they are not confirmed cases.”

Regarding the seven inmates who did not go to court Wednesday, one inmate from their section claims to have flu-like symptoms and was tested as a precaution, Creighton said.

“The section the inmate is housed in was put on medical isolation-cohort status as a precaution as well,” Creighton said. “The inmate made claims of flu-like symptoms.”

COVID-19 precautions at the jail include taking temperatures for everyone who enters the facility; questionnaires related to possible COVID-19 exposure, with necessary steps taken to medically isolate the individual immediately who indicates virus symptoms; providing masks before entry for all inmates who newly arrive; and numerous posters throughout the facility emphasizing social distancing.

Kiosks are updated with the same posters in electronic format, as well.

New arrivals to the facility enter into what is called “step sections” for 14 days before being introduced to the general population to help thwart any COVID-19 outbreaks, Creighton said.

Other precautions include enhanced and continuous facility cleaning, officers wearing masks at all times and gloves worn when dealing directly with inmates.