There was horror and outrage expressed at Waukegan's city council meeting Monday from the community and Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor. "This was somebody's daughter, child, friend. You thought that was OK? What is wrong with you people?" said one public commenter. "How could you do that? And then not say anything about it?" The heated response came after a photo appearing to show a human arm showed up on Waukegan Alderman Keith Turner's Facebook page last week. "I literally almost passed out myself when I saw that picture. So I can't even imagine what this poor mother went through," Taylor said. Taylor referred to the mother of Sade Robinson, the Milwaukee woman believed to have been killed and dismembered after a first date last month. The Lake County Coroner's Office said someone found a severed human arm on Lake Michigan beach May 11. Experts are still trying to determine if the arm belongs to Robinson. Turner's original post included a photo of an arm with the caption, "A severed arm found, but no report or mention from the administration." "I was outraged. Like most people should be. All I could think of was this poor family and what they were going through. As a mother and grandmother myself, I can't even imagine what they're going through. And then to have to see that? It's despicable," Taylor said.The post has since been deleted, but Alderwoman Lynn Florian said the city council has not forgotten. WISN 12 News reporter Kendall Keys asked if the council was considering censuring Turner. "Yes. I've already talked to some of my fellow aldermen and we plan to do that at the next city council meeting," Florian said. Florian said the council is not able to remove Turner from office or take away his duties. "It's basically just a public acknowledgment that we disagree with what was done and that we consider it abhorrent behavior. And we kind of distance ourself from, you know, what happened, that it was his choice to do that and we disagree with it," Florian said. The next city council meeting is scheduled for June 3. "We need five votes to make anything happen. And I spoke to four of my fellow aldermen and they agreed with me. So at this point, I believe it will happen," Florian said. Robinson's mother, Sheena Scarbrough called on Turner to be fired, writing in part in a letter from the family attorney, "...I have been longing for my child and that moment when I saw her body again should have been private, and only for my eyes and my family. This is not a movie, a television show, or a topic for public commentary." Scarbrough added, "That shocking pain should never be put on display by a government official."Turner has not responded to WISN 12 News' requests for comment, and declined to speak at Monday's meeting. "Waukegan cares about them and this is not something that the city supported in any way shape or form. This was an individual," Taylor said.
WAUKEGAN, Ill. —
There was horror and outrage expressed at Waukegan's city council meeting Monday from the community and Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor.
"This was somebody's daughter, child, friend. You thought that was OK? What is wrong with you people?" said one public commenter. "How could you do that? And then not say anything about it?"
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The heated response came after a photo appearing to show a human arm showed up on Waukegan Alderman Keith Turner's Facebook page last week.
"I literally almost passed out myself when I saw that picture. So I can't even imagine what this poor mother went through," Taylor said.
Taylor referred to the mother of Sade Robinson, the Milwaukee woman believed to have been killed and dismembered after a first date last month. The Lake County Coroner's Office said someone found a severed human arm on Lake Michigan beach May 11. Experts are still trying to determine if the arm belongs to Robinson.
Turner's original post included a photo of an arm with the caption, "A severed arm found, but no report or mention from the administration."
"I was outraged. Like most people should be. All I could think of was this poor family and what they were going through. As a mother and grandmother myself, I can't even imagine what they're going through. And then to have to see that? It's despicable," Taylor said.
The post has since been deleted, but Alderwoman Lynn Florian said the city council has not forgotten. WISN 12 News reporter Kendall Keys asked if the council was considering censuring Turner.
"Yes. I've already talked to some of my fellow aldermen and we plan to do that at the next city council meeting," Florian said.
Florian said the council is not able to remove Turner from office or take away his duties.
"It's basically just a public acknowledgment that we disagree with what was done and that we consider it abhorrent behavior. And we kind of distance ourself from, you know, what happened, that it was his choice to do that and we disagree with it," Florian said.
The next city council meeting is scheduled for June 3.
"We need five votes to make anything happen. And I spoke to four of my fellow aldermen and they agreed with me. So at this point, I believe it will happen," Florian said.
Robinson's mother, Sheena Scarbrough called on Turner to be fired, writing in part in a letter from the family attorney, "...I have been longing for my child and that moment when I saw her body again should have been private, and only for my eyes and my family. This is not a movie, a television show, or a topic for public commentary."
Scarbrough added, "That shocking pain should never be put on display by a government official."
Turner has not responded to WISN 12 News' requests for comment, and declined to speak at Monday's meeting.
"Waukegan cares about them and this is not something that the city supported in any way shape or form. This was an individual," Taylor said.
