Waukegan’s mayor is criticizing an alderman for posting online a photo of a severed arm found this month on the city’s lakefront, calling it “morally disgusting.”
Mayor Ann Taylor issued a statement over the weekend castigating 6th Ward Alderman Keith Turner, who officials said posted the photo on a Facebook page for about two days last week before taking down the image.
“On behalf of the City of Waukegan, I find the posting of an image of this type to be morally disgusting, socially irresponsible, and extremely cruel to the victim’s family. I hope all Waukeganites join me in prayer for the victim of this horrific crime and for the victim’s family,” Taylor said in her statement.
The right arm was found on the city’s beachfront on May 11 by someone walking along the shore. Authorities suspect the limb belonged to Sade Robinson, a 19-year-old college student from Milwaukee. Robinson, authorities say, was murdered and dismembered on April 1 by a man whom she had met that night for a dinner date. The man has been charged in her killing.
Parts of Robinson’s body have been recovered on or near the Lake Michigan shoreline in the Milwaukee area.
Turner posted the picture along with comments criticizing Waukegan officials for not being forthcoming about the incident. Taylor and Turner are running for mayor next year.
The mayor said local police contacted Milwaukee authorities immediately after the discovery, suspecting that the arm was Robinson’s, but did not comment publicly to preserve the integrity of the investigation.
Taylor said neither the city nor the police gave Turner the photo. The Lake County Coroner’s Office on Monday said its investigators did not take the photo that appeared on Turner’s Facebook page.
The post did not say where Turner obtained the photo. Attempts to reach Turner Monday were unsuccessful.
The coroner’s office said it is awaiting results of DNA testing to determine whether the arm was Robinson’s.
Robinson’s mother criticized the public release of the photo in interviews this weekend with Milwaukee media. Sheena Scarbrough told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that she wanted to see Turner reprimanded.
