National civil rights and personal injury law firm Romanucci & Blandin announced on Thursday, April 17, 2025 the filing of a lawsuit holding those allegedly responsible and accountable for harm to children in District 25 at Westgate Elementary School. According to Romanucci & Blandin individuals and an entity responsible include the School Nurse Tory Eitz (who has since been fired and criminally charged), District 25, Westgate Elementary Principal Buch and then-Assistant Superintendent Kaye. Kaye is now District 25 Superintendent.
CLAIMS IN LAWSUIT
COUNT I – Willful and Wanton Conduct against Arlington Heights School District 25 (AHSD 25)
COUNT II – Negligence against AHSD 25
COUNT III – Willful and Wanton Retention against AHSD 25
COUNT IV – Negligent Retention against AHSD 25
COUNT V – Willful and Wanton Failure to Report against ANN BUCH
COUNT VI – Negligent Failure to Report against ANN BUCH
COUNT VII – Willful and Wanton Failure to Report against BRIAN KAYE
COUNT VIII – Negligent Failure to Report against BRIAN KAYE
COUNT IX – Willful and Wanton Failure to Report against TORY EITZ
COUNT X – Negligence against TORY EITZ
COUNT XI – Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress against TORI EITZ
COUNT XII – Fraud/Forgery against TORY EITZ
COUNT XIII – Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress against TORY EITZ
COUNT XIV – Family Medical Expense Act
According to Romanucci & Blandin and the lawsuit filed, Arlington Heights School District 25 utterly failed to support medically vulnerable children by allowing a school nurse to act with impunity when she failed to provide the children’s proper prescription/controlled substance medication during school hours.
Instead of being a trusted support person for students as they learn and grow, Westgate Elementary School Nurse Tory Eitz allegedly did real and future harm to nine children and disrupted their health, education and sense of trust and security – while her employer, Arlington Heights School District 25 (AHSD), Principal Ann Buch and then-Assistant Superintendent Brian Kaye had the notice and ability to stop her… but actively chose not to help.
According to Romanucci & Blandin, these reckless behaviors and decisions not to intervene have destroyed or disrupted the children’s …
trust in authority figures and healthcare providers,
physical/social-emotional learning in school,
educational opportunities, while diminishing self-worth from “out of routine” write-ups and or removal from classrooms,
medical treatment often including increased dosage of medicine because perception was that current dose wasn’t working, and
the family dynamic, which refers to the patterns of interaction, relationships, and roles within a family unit that influence the well-being and development of family members, especially children, while encompassing how family members communicate, show affection, make decisions, and handle conflicts.
During the times detailed in the civil complaint, 2021-2024, Tory Eitz was the school nurse at Westgate Elementary School in Arlington Heights, Illinois, where, among other duties, she was responsible for dispensing student medication during the school day. This procedure is described in detail in the District 25 handbook and explains how medication is supposed to be cataloged for each student, how written records are to be kept, and signatures provided when medication is distributed and taken. The nurse is expected to maintain a precise count of medication used and remaining.
According to the law firm Romanucci & Blandin, Nurse Eitz abused and manipulated the relationships with parents who entrusted their children to her care, telling parents medicine was missing, medicine fell down the sink, or for some reason was miscounted… and that she needed more, often asking to meet parents in the parking lot of the school to provide the medicine to her. Many of these prescriptions were controlled substances. Also, in some circumstances, signatures on medicine logs did not match those of parents. Eventually, a parent expressed concern. Later, in April of 2024, Kaye, in a text message to one of the Plaintiffs, admitted to having prior notice of the concern. No action had been taken to investigate, report or terminate this behavior to protect the children. The evidence now points to the conclusion that Nurse Eitz stole medication from students and replaced the missing medication with non-prescription medication such as aspirin, in direct violation of the doctors’ orders for these children. In one case, a young student tested positive for fentanyl as details of this scam became clear.
During the course of our civil investigation, we learned that District 25 administrators and school officials had notice of improper administration of medication, missing medication, and the failure to follow protocols when that medication went missing. This goes back as far as a November 2021 written communication from a parent. Defendants Buch and Kaye were aware of concern that Eitz was breaching her trust with the students and their families as a medical professional working as a school nurse for District 25. Eitz should have been reported and terminated at the time of the first parental report.
Romanucci & Blandin believes this evidence is a clear indication of District 25’s notice and active complicity in Tory Eitz’s actions to steal and replace student prescription medications. The District 25’s willful and reckless actions put the well-being and safety of many children at risk. The administration’s failure to take accountability then and now is both stunning and deeply disappointing.
When parents were finally informed of the situation by the school in April 2024, the community connected the dots, and the outrage and calls for accountability began. The District stonewalled Romanucci & Blandin’s efforts on the families’ behalf to secure information through Freedom of Information Act Requests, ultimately leading the law firm to appeal to the Illinois Attorney General’s office to intervene. District 25 has since terminated the employment of Tory Eitz for her gross misconduct, including substituting and/or switching students’ medications that were stored at Westgate Elementary School.
Further, when Buch and Kaye learned of the actions of Tory Eitz, they did not report concerns as they are required under the Illinois Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. All individual defendants named in this civil action (Eitz, Buch and Kaye) are mandatory reporters given their professional roles under the Illinois Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
Criminal Charges for Tori Eitz
On October 1, 2024, the State of Illinois filed a thirteen-count criminal indictment against Eitz for alleged crimes committed in the course and scope of her employment as a school nurse for District 25. The criminal case against her is still pending. The next status hearing is May 5, 2025, at 9:30 am in room 110 in the Rolling Meadows Cook County circuit courthouse.
The Plaintiff families believe justice should come in many forms, including both civil and criminal accountability. They call on the State’s Attorney’s Office to fully hold Eitz accountable, which includes jail time for her actions.
The criminal charges include:
One Count of Official Misconduct by a public employee for forgery with the intent to defraud in the alteration of medication administration records of students;
Five counts of forgery, for allegedly documenting the initials of parents signifying they had picked up medication from the school, when in fact they had not; and
Seven counts of causing a child to be endangered for failing to properly secure and maintain the prescription medication of children at Westgate Elementary School, including swapping out prescription medication from bottles and replacing pills with non-prescription aspirin tablets and/or non-prescription famotidine.
Famotidine, sold over the counter with the brand name Pepcid among others, is a histamine H2 receptor antagonist medication that decreases stomach acid production, and is therefore used to treat peptic ulcer disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and Zollinger–Ellison syndrome (a rare disease involving neuroendocrine tumors that secrete the hormone gastrin, which triggers parietal cells in the stomach to produce excess gastric acid).
Civil Lawsuit Details
The lawsuit was filed April 16, 2025, in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois Law Division, and demands a trial by jury. Defendants in the complaint include Arlington Heights School District 25, Former Westgate Elementary School Nurse Tory Eitz, Westgate Elementary School Principal Ann Buch and current District 25 Superintendent Brian Kaye, who was Assistant Superintendent at the times noted in the complaint.
Plaintiffs are named as John/Jane Doe Parents as natural guardians for their respective children to protect the children’s identities and medical histories. There are nine Doe families, each with their own separate complaint. The plaintiffs are represented by the Chicago-based national trial law firm Romanucci & Blandin, LLC, including Managing and Senior Partner Gina A. DeBoni, Partner Michael E. Holden and Partner Michael D. Cerasa.
“Our client families share heart-wrenching stories about the harm done to their children by the actions of Tory Eitz and District 25. They call Eitz a predator. These parents explain in detail the ‘harsh realities’ the kids are learning about drugs and addiction, and that some people hurt others for their own benefit, and sometimes, those people are nurses or authority figures. Also painful is that the children are learning that the people at school who had the highest level of responsibility for their safety had all the notice they needed to take action and instead chose not to, including the District 25 Board of Education who did not hold school leaders accountable,” said Romanucci & Blandin Managing and Senior Partner Gina A. DeBoni.
“Further, many of our parents say they moved to District 25 to secure a safer, brighter future for their children. Due to the alleged criminal actions of one and the cowardice of many, these families’ experiences have been horrific. Their children have nightmares and extreme anxiety now about doctors’ appointments and being at school. The parents add that those who abuse innocent children are the lowest members of our society. Those that sweep abuse under the rug to keep their employment are equally low. Perhaps worse. The administration knew the difference between right and wrong but chose to enable Tory Eitz instead of protecting the kids they were entrusted to protect,” said DeBoni.
“The harm done to each of these children is very real, and it is impossible to assess how this experience will impact them as they grow into teenagers and young adults. Keep in mind that before any manipulation of their medication, each of these children was working through a health condition that challenged them during school and required medical attention, including prescription medication. If you then layer on physical ramifications of not receiving their proper medication and the social/emotional distress by the disruption of trust, these elementary school children face an uphill battle navigating their own healthcare as well as relationships,” said Romanucci & Blandin Partner Michael E. Holden.
“The reckless and intentional decisions made by District 25, Principal Ann Buch and then-Assistant Superintendent Brian Kaye clearly violated their duty to supervise Tory Eitz. They had notice of missing medication and parents’ concerns as early as November 2021, including written communications in May 2022 and June 2022, that should have been reason to conduct an independent investigation and/or terminate her access to children. The notice of concern should also have been the direct catalyst to report Tory Eitz to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, given their responsibility as mandatory reporters. These kids were betrayed by multiple adults and a school district they trusted,” said Romanucci & Blandin Partner Michael D. Cerasa.
Arrest and Early Investigation
The Arlington Heights Police Department announced Friday, August 16, 2024, the conclusion of a police investigation of concern regarding health, welfare and safety of students at Westgate Elementary School, and the arrest of former Westgate Elementary School Nurse Tory Eitz.
Case also investigated by law firm Romanucci & Blandin
The law firm of Romanucci & Blandin, involved in the civil investigation of the case, applauded the Arlington Heights Police Criminal Investigations Bureau, as well as the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, for their months of work on the investigation into the conduct of former Westgate Elementary School Nurse Tory Eitz, and ultimately charging her in this case.
On behalf of the parents of the children impacted, we are satisfied and grateful for her arrest. After four distressing months, the families involved can now breathe a small sigh of relief.
— Romanucci & Blandin, law firm
The law firm of Romanucci & Blandin initially announced on April 25, 2024 that a family of a child at Westgate Elementary School believe their child was not given the proper medication and had suffered health problems because of the issue. According to Romanucci & Blandin, the child’s medical team confirmed that the child’s blood work showed suggestive signs of excessive aspirin intake and also showed positive for fentanyl. According to Romanucci & Blandin the allegations came to light the week of April 22, 2024, and an individual then disclosed only as “a school medical professional” was placed on leave at the end of April 2024 following disclosure of the problem. The law firm of Romanucci & Blandin, in early May 2024, also called for Westgate Elementary School Principal Ann Buch to be placed on administrative leave until all of the facts come out. Ann Buch is currently active as Principal of Westgate Elementary School, according to the official District 25 website for the school.
According to the Arlington Heights Police Department, on April 22, 2024 the Arlington Heights Police Department received a report from Arlington Heights School District 25 officials regarding a potential health, welfare and safety concern at Westgate Elementary School. Detectives contacted school officials and learned specific details which promptly initiated an investigation into concerns that Westgate Elementary School Nurse, Tory Eitz, was misappropriating medication prescribed to students. Through the course of the investigation, detectives reviewed physical evidence collected at the school, and information obtained from forensically-extracted data and documents obtained through legal process.
Arlington Heights police detectives conducted numerous interviews with witnesses, school staff members and parents. The investigation soon identified multiple students who were affected. Detectives gathered ample information to substantiate that Tory Eitz altered official school documents to conceal her actions. The investigation, which was complex and multifaceted, took several months to thoroughly review and analyze all aspects of the allegation. Detectives worked in concert with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Complex Narcotics Unit of the Special Prosecutions Bureau. Ultimately, a review of known case facts and evidentiary material collected established probable cause to move forward with an arrest. Detectives arrested Tory Eitz on Friday, August 16, 2024. Eitz was processed and released, in compliance with the Pretrial Fairness Act.
CHARGES
Tory E. Eitz, age 48 years old, of the block of 300 West Euclid Avenue, Arlington Heights
One count Official Misconduct – Class 3 Felony 720 ILCS 5/33-3 (a)
Five counts Forgery – Class 3 Felony 720 ILCS 5/17-3 (a)
Seven counts Endangering the Life or Health of a Child – Class A Misdemeanor 720 ILCS 5/12c-5 (a) (1)
The next scheduled court date for Tory E. Eitz is Monday, August 19, 2024 in Room 108, Cook County 3rd Municipal District Courthouse.
MORE BACKGROUND INFO …
On May 1, 2024, the law firm of Romanucci & Blandin, announced that Westgate Elementary School in Arlington Heights, Illinois did not, with intent, accurately administer prescription medications to children in its care. This disregard for students’ safety has harmed several children, including exposing at least one child to the opioid, fentanyl.
The law firm of Romanucci & Blandin further alleged that in addition to the apparent deliberate conduct of a school medical professional who substituted non-prescription medication for the children’s prescription medications, we have evidence of Westgate Elementary School Principal Ann Buch’s deliberate indifference to student safety. We have evidence that Principal Buch ignored reported concerns by parents and others about the mishandling and administration of medication as well as established policies and procedures, which exposed children to ongoing dangers to their health and well-being.
The law firm of Romanucci & Blandin further alleged that Westgate and District 25 administrators had not kept their promise to a stated commitment to transparency for families in the school’s community, and had not provided updates regarding enforcement of policy and protocol changes to keep children safe through the appropriate protection and administration of medicine by school staff. As of May 1, 2024 (more than one week after the drug misappropriation discovery), there had been no additional communication to the parents on the school district’s policy response to the crisis. The law firm of Romanucci & Blandin demanded school officials be transparent and share their plans for the safety and protection of children receiving medication at school. Romanucci & Blandin represents multiple families in this matter and immediately began a civil investigation at the end of April 2024. The families’ names and their children’s identities, health histories and exact medications are being withheld to protect the children’s privacy.
“We have information that prior to the school’s outreach to parents last week, Westgate Elementary Principal Ann Buch knew, or should have known, there were questions and concerns about the administration of children’s medication at the school. Further, we have evidence that there were also prior concerns noted about the quantity of children’s medication and/or missing medication. They disregarded the safety of their young students and have broken the trust given by these families to care for their vulnerable children.”
— Gina A. DeBoni, Romanucci & Blandin Managing Partner
On May 8, 2024, the law firm of Romanucci & Blandin announced that Arlington Heights District 25 made the decision to terminate Westgate Elementary School Nurse Tory Eitz, but that the termination was far overdue. According to Romanucci & Blandin, “(t)he reckless actions by District 25 disregarded the health and well-being of multiple children and put the children at risk. In our representation of multiple families in this situation, we learned that administration officials received reports of missing medication prior to April 22, 2024, and behaved recklessly in their roles. The decision by the Board of District 25 to terminate Nurse Eitz is an incomplete response, which should also include the placement of the appropriate leaders or individuals on administrative leave, a swift and complete independent, third-party investigation and a robust and clear set of improved policies and procedures to safeguard children and ensure the safe administration of medication at school.”
Romanucci & Blandin also indicated that District 25 damage control efforts to distance themselves from the actions of Tory Eitz are “simply smoke and mirrors in an effort to avoid municipal responsibility.” Romanucci & Blandin announced that as their civil investigation proceeded, law firm investigators acquired evidence that District 25 leaders were very aware of concerns as far back as 2022. One official stated that concerns had been documented in the past regarding the administration of medication as well as missing medication, and apologized stating that they were sorry to have broken the trust the parents have given to care for their children, according to Romanucci & Blandin.
“We believe what happened at Westgate Elementary is a reckless endangerment of the children’s physical and emotional health as well as their social and educational development. The district has a responsibility to now review and improve their policies and procedures related to administration of medication to children at school and we urge them to share that information immediately with families and the public.”
Jason J. Friedl, Romanucci & Blandin Senior Attorney
On July 15, 2024, Romanucci & Blandin announced that Arlington Heights, Illinois School District 25 (the District) officials are stonewalling efforts by attorneys for parents of Westgate Elementary School children who are seeking critical details regarding the administration of prescription medication to their young ones and details regarding District policies and processes. By refusing to cooperate with multiple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, Romanucci & Blandin believes the District continues to not only intentionally inflict emotional distress on these families but also avoided transparency for the public.
According to Romanucci & Blandin, Arlington Heights, Illinois School District 25 officials have delayed or denied several Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests by Romanucci & Blandin seeking information on who knew about concerns over medication and when and how the District handled these concerns. The legal team representing nine families has now filed a request with the Illinois Attorney General to review the District’s denials of these FOIA requests, which has both impeded the civil investigation and prevented the parents and the public from having any peace of mind about the welfare of the children in District 25. Since the District has refused to authorize an independent third-party investigation, the compliance with FOIA requests is critical.
The law firm of Romanucci & Blandin urged anyone with information about the administration of medicine to students at Westgate Elementary School to contact the legal team at Romanucci & Blandin at 312-626-7614.
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