Crime & Safety
Ex-Bartlett Teacher Guilty In Experiment Gone Wrong: Prosecutors
The chemistry teacher injured a student while conducting a demonstration, state's attorney said.
BARTLETT, IL — A six-person jury on Tuesday found a former Bartlett High School chemistry teacher guilty of reckless conduct for injuring a student during a science demonstration, prosecutors said.
The jury also found Garry Brodersen, 66, of Carpentersville, guilty of one count of endangering the life of a child. Both charges are Class A misdemeanors. The jury deliberated for four hours after a two-day trial, according to a news release from the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office.
On May 15, 2018, Brodersen was performing a science demonstration for his class when he poured liquid nitrogen on a student's chest and groin area, prosecutors said. The chemical caused burn injuries to the student's groin and finger, according to the news release.
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“Mr. Brodersen displayed extremely poor judgment when he doused a student with a dangerous chemical during a science demonstration,” State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in the release.
Brodersen may be sentenced as early as next week.
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The incident was caught on video.
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