Man gets 5 years for death of foster mother during fight

A man has been sentenced to five years in prison for the death of his foster mother during a fight at their South Side home in 2014.

Joshua David Brooks, 23, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter of a family member on May 17 after a bench trial before Judge Thomas Hennelly, according to Cook County court records.

Brooks was arguing with his foster mother, 58-year-old Dorothy McGee, about 4 p.m. March 25, 2014, at their home in the 400 block of East 46th Street, authorities said at the time.

The argument became physical and Brooks pushed McGee to the ground and began hitting her in the face, authorities said.

McGee suffered a cardiac event during the incident and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where she died less than an hour later, according to the medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy found she died of heart disease, with diabetes, obesity and stress from an altercation as contributing factors, according to the medical examiner’s office. Her death was ruled a homicide.

Brooks ran away from the home, but was arrested at a neighbor’s apartment, according to police.

Judge Hennelly sentenced Brooks to five years in prison Wednesday, according to court records. He will receive credit for 896 days served in the Cook County Jail, and must serve one year of supervised release.