***** Facsimile Transmission *****

Date : June 30, 1995 -

Pages : 6

To : Barbara ~ichardson
Fax Phone : 708-662-5972
From : Carol Spizzirri
Save A L i f e Foundation
Phone : 708-549-7353
Fax : 708-549-8843

Subject : Dear Barbara: I r e a l l y would l i k e t o p l a c e a l l the

hostilities behind Christinals'death. X.started_ Save A Life F o u n d a t i o n
as a p o s i t i v e f o r a negative that c o u l d benefit all Lake County
r e s i d e n t s in memory of Christina and her friends - who meant so much to
her and I.
Stories as you know get blown out of p r o p o r t i o n s sometimes because of
misunderstandings. But for the good of all mankind and our loved ones,
let us work together to teach people how to care again through CPR and
F i r s t Aid education. -t

I would appreciate your expertise i n SALFrs activities s i n c e SALF has

grown to international levels, w i t h chapters in A r g e n t i n a and I n d i a . It
would be wonderful for Lake County to be the role model for t h e rest of
the world.
My sincere best wishes, and I hope that y o u r holiday will be
,-.
exceptionally wonderful.

Carol J. Spizzirri
President/Founder
 Save A Life Foundation, Inc.
17479 West Dartmoor Drive (>rayslalie, Illlnols Phone/Fa\ 708-549-7;153

June 30, 1995

Ms. Barbara Richardson, Coroner

Lake County Coroner's Office
18 North County
Waukegan, Illinois 60085

Dear Barbxa:

I trust you have received the articles that appeared in the Chicago Tribune on January 16, 1995 about
Save A Life Foundation and the Correction and Clarification's article by Chief Deputy Coroner James
Wipper of February 7,1995 that you requested. I included the response to Deputy Wipper's
statement by Lance Becker, M.D., FACEP, Dir. of Research in Emergency Medicine at the
University of Chicago Hospitals. Dr. Becker is a respected leader in emergency medicine worldwide,
and Director of Basic Life Support for the American Heart Association.

Dr. Becker's letter clearly indicated that a drastic error was made in determining my daughter,
Christina Jean's, death by the coroner's office. Ernest Pretto M.D., Univ. of Pittsburgh IRRC, Pres.
World Health Association and Peter Safar M.D.IProfessor (father of cardiopulmonary resuscitation -
CPR) Dir. Safar Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh,sta~d by Dr. Becker's expert opinion that,
Christina's death was "caused by massive hemorrhage coming primarily from the avulsion of her left
shoulder". Dr. Becker went on to state in his letter" this blood loss might have been controlled or
slowed if she had received basic first aid for control of hemorrhage (as is taught to Boy Scouts) prior
to arrival of emergency medical services personnel". Becker continued "it is odd that no mention
anywhere of a depressed skull fracture is made in the medical record by the doctors, nurses, or
anyone who treated the patient". - -
*!

The Lake County Coroner's Office:

+ Filed an inaccurate inquest and death report

+ made written and verbal public statements that do not coincide with legal medical records
+ -
aefameci tne good will of the not-for-profit Save k Life Foundation, Inc.
+ publicly slandered myself, both personally and professionally
+ deprived SALF's success, which could be a direct result in thousands of lives being lost each year
+ has no medical background or authority to change legal medical records.

Since Deputy Wipper's statement on February 7, 1995, SALF has been subjected to numerous
questions, delaying our effort's growth in and around Lake County; reaching as far south as
Springfield, Illinois. I feel this was a deliberate attempt by the coroner's office to halt SALF's mission.

I sincerely hope for an immediate public apology by yourself in form of a press release forwarded to
all major newspapers, pointing out your department's errors of the decision of Christina's death. I
expect that Christina's inquest report be chanued immediztel~,to match legal medical records.
Since your position supersedes the law enforcement departments, I would like to see an immediate
letter from you, urainq all Lake County Sheriff and Police Departments to work closely with SALF in
the training of their employees in Life Saving First Aid, prior to this years end. This action will
demonstrate to the voters of your support--- for SALF's and it's mission, thus reducing lives being lost
here in Lake County.

Savirlg Live's 'l'hrougl~CI'R arrd 12irst Aid E d u c n t i o ~ ~

page 2 of 2
Save A Life Foundation
June 30,1995

It would serve everyone's benefit to place all our hostilities behind us, regarding Christina's death.
SALF was formed as a positive benefit for all people, in memory of my daughter and her family and
friends who she loved. I trust your statement to me, that you were totally unaware of this conduct by
Deputy Wipper, and I respect the difficult responsibility of your office.

I intend a written response to this matter on or before-July 10th.

- +
- -

Sincerely,

cc: A. Zakroczymski, Chairman

Nancy Krier RN, VP IHHA
Ralph Shenefeld EMP-T
Donna Siegfried, NSC
 Save A Life Foundation, Inc.
17479 West Dartmoor Drive Crayslnl<e. l l l ~ n o ~ s PhonelFas 708-54Y-7;i6;3

July 14, 1995

Ms. Barbara Richardson, Coroner

Lake County Coroner's Office
18 North County
Waukegan, IL 60085

Dear Barbara:

Thank you for your phone call of July 7th. My letter of June 30th, certainly was not intended to
be threatening, I hoped that the facts would clarify the coroner's report, which I was certain you
would be anxious to correct.

I didn't expect that your response would rest on, exposing unrelated innuendo's do to past
divorce accusations.

Because there wasn't an autopsy done on Christina, I truly would welcome the opportunity to
rewiew x-rays and other evidence related to Christina's injuries. Since 1992, 1 have contacted
your office on numerous occasions to do just that, with no response. Until such time, Iwill stand
on Dr. Lance Becker, Dr. Ernest Pretto and Dr. Peter Safar's opinion, and hope that this matter
can be resolved.

Please keep in mind that Save A Life Foundation mission is to enhance public awareness for the
need to know life saving skills, not to attack any individual. 50% of all fatalities could be saved if
prompt emergency aid were performed by the first-responder or by-stander. I am sure you
realize that emergencies touch all American's, and hope for your support thah it is the moral,
ethical and compassionate duty to act in another's behalf, who is the victim of an emergency.

Sincerely,

CC: Senator William Peterson

Adam Zakroczyrnski
Ralph Shenefeld
Nancy Krier

S;ivilrg Lives 'l'lirouglr CI'It i111dIs'it.st Aid Lzducittiolr

OFFICE OF THE CORONER A
Barbara E. Richardson
COUNTY OF LAKE, ILLINOIS
26 N . Utica Street, Waukegan, IL

F a x (708)662-5972

July 25, 1995

Ms. Carol J. Spizzirri

SAVE A LIFE FOUNDATION
17479 West Dartmoor Drive
Grayslake, IL 60030
Dear Carol:
I received your letter via FAX on June 30, 1995 and re-
viewed the materials with the State's Attorney's Office.
The staff of the Lake County Coroner's Office is always mind-
ful of our commitment to the " c a r e of the deceased and con-
cern for theLliving'! We recognize that you are a grieving
parent and you have our deepest sympathies. None of the
actions taken by any staff member of this office should be
interpreted as an effort to minimize your grief.
In Christina's case, as is our custom, Chief Deputy Coroner,
James Wipper, answered factual questions from a reporter
about the contents of official documents. Jim did not mis-
quote the documents in Christina's file nor did he presume
to interpret the facts for the reporter. Please note that
the statement that first aid would not have saved Christina's
life is the reporter's conclusion ...
NOT attriputed to Jim.
At an inquest at which you were present, a jury determined
the official manner of Christina's death to be accidental.
I do not and cannot dispute the jury's verdict.
I regret that you have misunderstood the actions of my staff
and have found it necessary to voice your opinions to press,
senators and others whose names are unfamiliar to me. Once
again, I assure you that our findings were not intended to
reflect any opinion about the Save A Life Foundation, which
was not, to my knowledge, in existence at the time of the
examination and inquest. And, I certainly would have to
support any mission that might save a life in Lake County
or anywhere. After all, prevention of death is our credo.
Sincerely,

BARBARA E . RICHARDSON
Coroner

Our Comrnftment . . . Care of the deceased; Concern for the ffufng

Carol Spizzirri - July 25, 1995 - 2
I realized as I signed the previous page that I had not
addressed your concern in your ~ u l y14 letter to come to
my office (as youf'have requested numerous occasionsnas you
stated in your letter) to review evidence, etc. First of
all, I know for a fact that you have been in my office at
least twice in the past six months. Once to pick up a
transcript of the inquest for some TV show and another
time to drop off materials for me. Neither time did you
ask to see any files. If you had, your request would have
been answered without fail.
In response to your June 30, 1995 letters with demands,
I would add that I did not file an inaccurate inquest and
death report. The inquest was accurate as documented by
the transript of the proceedings and the sworn testimony
of witnesses. I have no authority under law to change one
word of an inquest transcript, nor change the findings of
the jury, nor change the death certificate.
As far as qim Wipper's statement of February 7, we answered
that on the' preceeding page. His honest statement could in
no way delay your efforts in Lake County, in Illinois, not
anywhere! He spoke the truth ...
based on facts.
Finally, Carol, there will not be a public apology from
this office. There will only be the truth and our records
show what that truth is. I have done nothing ...
ever...to
hurt, halt or hinder your mission. Indeed, I have demonstrated
to the voters of Lake County for over eighteen years my
commitment to preventing death and that cannot be disputed.
I support any program where education and/or training might
save lives. I do not support inuendos, lied and threats.