Morgan County suicides rise 50 percent; public health concerns grow

Morgan County saw a sharp rise in suicides last year, according to the county coroner’s annual report. Coroner Marcy Patterson recorded six suicides in 2025, up from four in 2024 — a 50 percent increase — as part of a total 371 deaths reported for the year.

About 350 of those deaths were attributed to natural causes, with cardiac disease, respiratory disease and cancer listed as the leading killers. There were no homicides recorded in 2025, a drop from the previous year. Fifteen deaths were classified as accidental: six overdoses, five motor vehicle accidents, one fall, two house-fire fatalities and one hypothermia death involving a person experiencing homelessness. The coroner’s office did not identify any unusual patterns in overall death counts for the county.

The local uptick in suicide reflects broader trends seen in Illinois and nationally in recent years, where mental health crises and gaps in care have pressured emergency rooms and behavioral health providers. For Morgan County residents, even a small numerical increase matters: in a county where lives are tightly connected, each lost neighbor is felt across families, workplaces and community institutions.

Suicide prevention and postvention efforts focus on early recognition and community response. Common warning signs include sudden mood changes, withdrawal from friends and activities, talk about hopelessness or wanting to die, increased substance use, dramatic changes in sleep or appetite, preparing for death or seeking means. Public health authorities also emphasize safe storage of firearms and medications, reducing substance misuse, and connecting people to mental health care before crises escalate.

Immediate help is available through the national Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 for anyone in distress or worried about someone else. Local steps include contacting Morgan County emergency services for immediate danger, checking in with primary care providers, and reaching out to school counselors or faith leaders who often know local resources. Overdose deaths and the hypothermia fatality also underscore ongoing needs for substance use disorder services, housing stability and winter outreach for people experiencing homelessness.

The numbers in the coroner’s report are a hard prompt to act. Our two cents? Keep an eye on your neighbors and loved ones, carry 988 in your phone, practice safe storage at home, and push locally for more mental health and outreach services so Morgan County can catch people before a crisis.