A former Bensenville police officer has been fired from his job as a high school security guard after being accused of breaking into the bedroom of two children in the middle of the night. The case has shaken families in Bloomingdale and raised serious questions about how someone with a law enforcement background ended up in this situation.
The Fenton High School District 100 school board voted Wednesday night to terminate Carmen Mirandola. In a letter to parents, the district said it fired a staff member involved in a Nov. 8 “law enforcement incident.” Court filings later revealed the incident was a home invasion, reported WGN-TV.
Mirandola, 40, is facing several charges in DuPage County, including home invasion, aggravated assault of a peace officer, disorderly conduct, and animal cruelty. According to prosecutors, the allegations stem from a disturbing scene inside a Bloomingdale home around 2:56 a.m. on Nov. 8.
A petition filed by prosecutors says Mirandola broke into the bedroom of two children, ages 10 and 11. Their father heard a noise, rushed toward the room, and found Mirandola inside. The father grabbed one of the children and managed to get out. From there, the situation became even stranger. Police say Mirandola hid in the bedroom closet and refused to come out. Officers eventually used a police dog to get him to comply. According to charges, he struck both an officer and the dog, Ace.
After being detained, Mirandola said he wasn’t feeling well and was taken to a hospital. Doctors determined he suffered a “medical incident” caused by too much carbon dioxide in his body. He was put into a coma and intubated. Hospital staff told police he likely overdosed on cocaine and amphetamines.
A search of his car found cocaine, fireworks, ammunition, police badges and a ballistic plate from a bulletproof vest. Officers found additional ammunition at his home, along with aluminum foil over several windows and a Bensenville police vest.
Judge Joshua Dieden ordered Mirandola held until his next court date on Dec. 8. According to the school district, he was a probationary employee who had passed a criminal background check before being hired on Sept. 2. State records show he served as a Bensenville police officer for a decade until November 2023.
In other DuPage County news, State’s Attorney Bob Berlin received the Champion of Victims’ Rights Award from Marsy’s Law for Illinois. The organization praised his long record of supporting crime victims and his work helping shape the state’s version of Marsy’s Law.
“He and his office have continued to take a trauma-informed approach to helping victims navigate the criminal justice system,” said Jennifer Bishop Jenkins, the state director. Berlin said treating victims with dignity has always been a priority.
And in Elk Grove Village, an accused bank robber learned a tough lesson about communication. An unarmed man passed a note to a teller on Oct. 30, but she couldn’t understand it because the handwriting was so messy. According to an FBI affidavit, she thought it said something like “no bad money.” After rereading it several times, she realized it was a robbery note that actually said, “I need everything in the drawers no games no die packs fast and no one gets hurt.”