Woman sues Delnor, says therapy turned her into witch
Shelley Standau went to Delnor-Community Hospital for help with her depression and ended up a witch.
The former Woodstock resident filed a federal lawsuit against the Geneva-based hospital this week alleging it did nothing to stop a psychologist on staff, Letitia Libman of St. Charles, from using witchcraft on her and eventually inducting her into a Wicca coven.
“This is about as far from the normal psycho-therapeutic care you can get,” said her Chicago attorney Richard Stavins. “She gets witchcraft and ends up trying to commit suicide three times.”
The lawsuit asks for $1 million in damages from the hospital. Libman was employed with Delnor part time from 1994 to 2002 and full time until January.
Libman isn’t being sued because Standau is afraid of her, Stavins said. That fear also forced the 45-year-old to move to North Carolina to escape Libman and her spells, he said.
During her therapy from September 2001 to June 2004 at the St. Charles campus of Delnor, Standau was instructed to draw a witch’s pentagram, take a witch’s name, use spells and become more promiscuous, according to the lawsuit. Her therapy consisted of tarot cards, nudity and self-mutilation, the lawsuit contends.
Along with the witchcraft claims, the lawsuit also alleges Libman tried to buy illegal drugs from Standau’s boyfriend, engaged in erotic behavior with another patient in front of Standau and talked of drugging the drink of a doctor she had a sexual relationship with.
The treatments lead Standau to become ostracized by her family, suffer from paranoia and become suicidal, Stavins said.
Libman could not immediately be reached for comment at her St. Charles home.
Standau never reported the witchcraft therapy to officials at Delnor because she trusted in the hospital, Stavins said, but other staff should have recognized the bizarre proceedings and interceded.
Delnor officials said they investigated Standau as soon as they got the first of two patient complaints. She was investigated internally and contacted the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation and the Geneva police. Libman is no longer employed by Delnor and has not seen patients in the psychological services program since January, said hospital spokesman Brian Griffin.
Hospital officials declined to comment on the outcome of the investigation or if Libman left voluntarily.