Two Illinois paramedics are charged with first-degree murder after they were called to save a man's life

Two Illinois paramedics who were called to save the life of a man have been charged with first-degree murder after the man died from suffocation while being strapped face-down onto a gurney by the suspects. Dan Wright, the state's attorney for Sangamon County, announced the charges against Peter Cadigan, 50, and Peggy Finley, 40, in connection with the Dec. 18 death of Earl L. Moore Jr., 35, of Springfield, Illinois, on Jan. 10.

Details about the case

Just after 2 a.m., Lifestar EMS personnel were requested to Moore's residence after police officers responded to a 911 call. According to a news release from the Springfield Police Department, the officers claimed that Moore might have been having hallucinations due to alcohol withdrawal and that he needed medical help. According to a recently released body camera footage, the two Illinois paramedics put the patient on the stretcher lying flat on his stomach and fastened a medical strap across his lower body. After being transported to a nearby hospital, Moore was later declared dead, according to the authorities. Also read: Ex-Playboy Model, Kelsey Turner, Sentenced To 10-25-year Prison Term For Killing A Psychiatrist [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="2940"] Image credit: The Washington Post[/caption] Furthermore, according to a coroner's report that PEOPLE was able to obtain, Moore died from "compressional and positional asphyxia, due to prone face-down restraint on a paramedic transportation stretcher due to straps across the back."

What's more

According to Wright, the two paramedics should have known that placing a patient in such a position "would create a substantial probability of great bodily harm or death" given their training and experience. On another note, at this time, the status of the pair's employment is unknown. But Lifestar Ambulance Service told PEOPLE, "It's still under investigation so we're not allowed to talk about it." Lastly, according to several accounts, Cadigan and Finley are being held at the Sangamon County Jail. However, it is yet unclear if they have entered pleas or hired attorneys.