Carthage, Ill.- Authorities have announced that a joint investigation between the Carthage Police Department and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office has resulted in sexual assault charges against a local school paraprofessional.
According to a news release, on November 17th, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office took a report that led to allegations of sexual assault of a juvenile having occurred at Chaddock Special Education School in Carthage.
Sheriff’s Deputies and Carthage Police Officers then took over the case after a forensic interview was conducted at the Child Advocacy Center in Galesburg.
The suspect was identified as 27-year-old Madeline H. Stewart of Fort Madison, Iowa.
Stewart was formally interviewed at the Carthage Campus and then taken into custody on Wednesday, November 29, 2023.
A search warrant for electronic media was issued. Macomb Police Department is assisting with that search.
Stewart faces several counts of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse, and Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault. Further charges are pending.
