By Kim Janssen
The Chicago Sun-Times
COOK COUNTY, Ill. — A man accused of strangling his mom at their Dolton home died after running a fever of 106 degrees at Cook County Jail, authorities say.
Thomas Beals, 25, was awaiting trial on charges that he murdered Deborah Beals on March 11 when he developed a fever in his cell Saturday morning, Cook County Sheriff’s Police spokesman Steve Patterson said.
Beals was taken from his cell in a psychiatric wing to Mount Sinai Hospital, but doctors were unable to cool him down and he died Saturday evening, records show.
Beals’ father, Aaron Beals, said his son was taking medication for schizophrenia and had shown “nothing but remorse” since killing his mother, dumping her body and stealing her car.
“We’re searching for answers,” he said. “Thomas had mental health problems, but nothing that would cause this.”
An autopsy Sunday was inconclusive. A pending toxicology report could provide answers, Patterson said.
Copyright 2009 Chicago Sun-Times, Inc.