Fired County Investigator Asks Council to Investigate - WICU12/WSEE Erie, PA News, Sports, Weather and Events

A fired investigator with the Public Defender's office is asking County Council to look into what she believes is her wrongful determination, but others in County government say Council shouldn't become involved.

Gloria Santiago was let go in July after failing to submit a doctor's note on time. She had been on medical leave since March and was required to file the excuse monthly.

She says she is battling breast cancer which may have spread elsewhere, and says she now has to do so without health insurance.

"I was devastated," she said of learning of the termination.

County attorney Rich Perhacs says the issue is being grieved by the AFSCME union and that is the proper place to air those concerns.

"This is a delicate personnel issue and we won't talk about it publicly," Perhacs told us. "But we are confident that (the County) did nothing unlawful."

Santiago attorney Jeff DelFuoco says that his client had told supervisors about problems in county government, and is not ruling out a whistle blower lawsuit in federal court.