Logan Co. superintendent resigns, to get $35K after charges dropped

Heather O’Donnell

Heather O’Donnell

The former superintendent of Midwest Regional Educational Service Center has resigned from her position and will be paid more than $35,000 to do so.

Heather O’Donnell, who was charged with two counts of child endangering in connection with child-rape charges against her husband, former Indian Lake Superintendent Patrick O’Donnell, was on paid leave pending her trial outcome.

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Washington Twp. Police Chief Rick Core said in an affidavit that the victim told Heather O’Donnell about the sexual abuse but she allegedly didn’t report it.

The Midwest Regional Education Center placed her on leave shortly after she was charged with the two felonies in July.

“The charges against Mrs. O’Donnell are horrible,” a news release from the Midwest board said at the time.

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The charges were dismissed last month as part of plea deal that saw Patrick O’Donnell plead to one count of gross sexual imposition. He was sentenced on March 19 to four-and-a-half years in prison.

Heather O’Donnell no longer works at the Midwest ECS.

“I came to a negotiated agreement with my board to resign,” Heather O’Donnell told the Springfield News-Sun in an email.

She resigned in February.

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The Springfield News-Sun filed a public records request and received the resignation agreement.

“The board shall pay employees at a rate of 66 percent of her contractual per diem rate through July 31,” the agreement says.

She will be paid at a rate of $298.65 for 120 days, the agreement says, and she will be allowed to stay on the school’s health insurance during that time.

Heather O’Donnell said in an email she hopes her family can move forward after her husband’s plea deal.

“We both just hope our family can begin healing now,” O’Donnell said.

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