Jeremy Hylka still hospitalized, not yet in police custody

Jeremy Hylka remains in a hospital and he has not yet been taken into custody more than a week after a judge issued a warrant for his arrest.

Hylka’s wife obtained a protective order against him April 30, saying in her petition that he was admitted to Silver Oaks Behavioral Hospital in New Lenox after he made “threats of suicide.” She also filed to divorce Hylka on the same day.

Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English said early Friday afternoon that Hylka remains still hospitalized.

“I would believe he would stay at the hospital for as long as needed for treatment,” English said.

Joliet police officials have said Hylka plans to turn himself in after he’s released from the hospital.

Hylka’s attorney, JohnPaul Ivec, declined to comment on the charges his client faces or when he might be released from the hospital.

“Unfortunately, I’m not making any statements at this time,” Ivec said.

On April 29, a Will County judge issued a warrant for Hylka’s arrest on charges of traveling to meet a child and grooming. The judge set bond at $100,000.

The charges were the result of an investigation by Joliet police detectives, who received a Snapchat video from the group Save Our Siblings that apparently captured Hylka attempting to rendezvous with someone he thought was a 15-year-old boy on April 27 at a Joliet McDonald’s.

“All the videos and text messages from the Snapchat account were vetted for validity and recovered from the account,” Joliet police Lt. Joe Egizio said at a press briefing on April 30. “Detective (Shawn) Filipiak also was able to establish positive ID of the suspect in the case, that being Jeremy M. Hylka.”

In her petition for a protective order against Hylka, his wife said he was “being sought for arrest by the Joliet Police Department on charges of traveling to meet a child and grooming.”

“Respondent had made threats of suicide and ... is currently hospitalized at Silver Oaks Psychiatric Facility in New Lenox, Illinois,” the petition read.

Judge Donald DeWilkins granted the protective order “for good cause” and scheduled a hearing on whether the order should be extended.

Hylka was a teacher at Joliet Catholic Academy until the school’s administration “was made aware of online allegations” regarding Hylka on June 2, 2020, according to a statement from JCA. Officials from the school said they informed Joliet police of the allegations and worked with the Diocese of Joliet “regarding the police investigation.”

“The teacher was put on leave and subsequently resigned,” the statement read.

When asked about the June incident on April 30, Filipiak said what the police were “able to determine was that there were third-party, unsubstantiated claims with unknown victims at that time” and charges were never filed.

Hylka was later hired for the current academic year for a teaching position at St. Joseph Catholic School in Lockport.

Diocese officials disclosed earlier this week that Hylka was investigated in January 2021 when officials became aware of a TikTok video referencing a man who was propositioned or groomed by an unnamed teacher.

Diocese officials said Hylka was put on leave from St. Joseph’s for two weeks “out of an abundance of caution.” They said the investigation was not disclosed to parents as it was a “confidential personnel matter” and because the account in the TikTok video could not be “clearly linked to Hylka.”

Diocese of Joliet spokeswoman Mary Massingale said the diocese reported the TikTok video to the Joliet Police Department.

Hylka has been fired his positions at St. Joseph’s, St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church and the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus, both in Joliet, according to the diocese. He’s also prohibited from working or volunteering for any diocesan school or parish.