Harvey hospital counselor accused of choking teen patient due in court

HARVEY, Ill. (WLS) -- A counselor at Ingalls Hospital in south suburban Harvey is accused of choking a 15-year-old male patient. Steven Pleasant, 46, is due in court Thursday.

Police said on Jan. 25, Pleasant grabbed the teen, threw him across the room into a food cart and onto the floor and then put him in a choke hold for nearly 30 seconds. Investigators said the incident was caught on camera, but that video has not been released.

Pleasant was charged with aggravated battery. Hospital officials said he worked as a behavioral health specialist. He is currently on leave.

"This is kind of ironic because this gentleman is put in the situation to counsel children. So we're now trying to figure out, has this happened before? We're doing a lot of questioning on the ground of the hospital. The hospital's been very cooperative with us," said Sean Howard, Harvey spokesman.

Howard said Pleasant, however, is not being cooperative. Police have been questioning him on what provoked the attack, but he hasn't given them an answer yet.

Witnesses at the hospital said the incident started when the teen asked for a glass of orange juice.

The boy was seen by doctors after the incident, but was not seriously hurt.