Former Food Pantry Executive Director Died of Drug Overdose: Coroner

Former Kendall County Food Pantry Executive Director Maria Spaeth died of a drug overdose, according to DeKalb County Coroner Dennis J. Miller.

Spaeth had lethal levels of Xanax, hydrocodone and acetaminophen in her system, but Miller said he didn’t know if the overdose was accidental or intentional.

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“There’s no proof saying the death was intentional whatsoever,” Miller said, adding that she had prescriptions for the medication.

It will likely remain unknown if her death was intentional.

“I wanted to ask the husband questions, but the husband’s attorney advised him not to answer any questions,” Miller said. “It’s ruled undetermined. Nothing pointed to suicide.”

Spaeth was pronounced dead at 3:20 p.m. Tuesday, June 21, at Valley West Hospital in Sandwich.

According to her obituary, Spaeth served as the Food Pantry's executive director from 2008 to 2016 and was "instrumental in expanding the pantry's resources and capabilities to meet the needs of some 7,000 people a month."

In April 2016, Spaeth was recognized by the National Association of Professional Women for her "outstanding leadership and commitment to the Kendall County Food Pantry." The organization named her as its VIP Woman of the Year.

Spaeth and her husband, Ken, recently resigned from the Kendall County Food Pantry. Ken Spaeth worked as the treasurer.

The resignations came shortly after Yorkville police opened an investigation into an apparent theft of funds from the Pantry. It is unknown if the resignations were in any way connected.

According to to Jeff Young, acting chairman of the Kendall County Food Pantry Board, two previous volunteers were being investigated. No one at the Pantry receives compensation for their work.

“The Kendall County Food Pantry and its board are all volunteers and have always been volunteers,” Young said in a previous article.

Yorkville police say they served search warrants June 1 on the Food Pantry, located at 208 Beaver St., and at a personal residence in Kendall County.

Yorkville Police Department Deputy Chief Terry Klingel said there are a couple of persons of interest involved with the theft of funds. He was unable to give more information about them, other than that they held some role within the Pantry.

Klingel told Patch that Spaeth's death would affect the investigation, but not to the point that it would be stopped. He would not comment on whether Spaeth was ever a suspect.

Klingel was unable to say how much money was stolen. The initial police report said the theft was more than $500, but WSPY News, citing unnamed sources, reports the theft was more than $100,000.