About 100 Alton residents have been informed by the U.S. Postal Service that mail they were expecting was thrown away.

2/8/16 ALTON, Ill. –Dozens of Metro East residents are were surprised to find out why they hadn’t received their mail, when their local post office sent a letter Monday explaining where it went.

At least 100 Alton homes didn’t get mail delivered on January 23 of this year, and according to a spokesperson for the Office of Inspector General, mail that was supposed to be delivered on that date was found in a field and ditch.

After an investigation, it was determined a fill-in letter carrier was supposed to deliver the mail.

When she was tracked down last week, she admitted she didn’t do the job and even threw away letters in dumpsters. The Inspector General’s Office says they found some 200 pieces of mail dumped in the ditch and field. That mail will be redelivered, but the mail in the dumpsters is long gone.

Read more here: Madison County letter carrier throws away mail