Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
36-Year-Old Nurse Charged With Sexual Assault Of Incapacitated Woman Who Gave Birth
Arizona Republic: Nurse Arrested In Sexual Assault Of Incapacitated Woman At Phoenix Facility
Phoenix police arrested a 36-year-old nurse at Hacienda HealthCare facility, alleging he sexually assaulted and impregnated an incapacitated woman at the center. The woman gave birth to a boy Dec. 29. Staff members told a 911 operator that they had not known she was pregnant. "From the minute we first became aware of the crime, we have virtually worked non stop seven days a week to resolve this case," Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams said in announcing the arrest Wednesday morning. (Burkitt, Shuman and Harris, 1/23)
The New York Times: Nurse Charged With Sexual Assault Of Woman In Vegetative State Who Gave Birth
Detectives at the Phoenix Police Department took the nurse, Nathan Sutherland, 36, in for questioning in the case on Tuesday, the police said, and collected a DNA sample from him that matched that of the child, a boy who was born on Dec. 29. Mr. Sutherland was booked on Wednesday morning at the Maricopa County Jail on one charge of sexual assault and one charge of vulnerable adult abuse, the police said. “Through a combination of good old-fashioned police work, combing through evidence, talking to people and following up on information, combined with the marvels of DNA technology, we were able to identify and develop probable cause to arrest a suspect,” Jeri L. Williams, the Police Department’s chief, said at a news conference on Wednesday. (Haag, 1/23)
Arizona Republic: Hacienda HealthCare Sexual-Assault Case: Who Is Nathan Sutherland?
Phoenix police announced the arrest of Nathan Sutherland, a 36-year-old nurse at Hacienda HealthCare facility, who they accuse of raping and impregnating an incapacitated woman in his care. The woman gave birth to a baby Dec. 29. Staff members told a 911 operator that they had not known she was pregnant. (Burkitt, 1/23)
The Associated Press: Lawyer: No Proof Nurse Raped Arizona Patient Who Had Baby
The surprise birth late last month triggered reviews by state agencies, highlighted safety concerns for patients who are severely disabled or incapacitated and led to disciplinary actions and resignations of staffers and managers. It also prompted authorities to test the DNA of all the men who worked at the Hacienda HealthCare facility. (Tang, 1/23)
Arizona Republic: Community Outrage At Hacienda Rape Could Result In New Arizona Laws
Outrage over a "monstrous and unspeakable crime" may lead to more oversight of vulnerable patients in Arizona. The rape of a 29-year-old patient at Hacienda HealthCare in Phoenix shows "failure at every level," Arizona House Minority Leader Charlene Fernandez, D-Yuma, told a standing-room-only crowd that filled an old Arizona Supreme Court room at the Capitol on Wednesday afternoon. (Innes, 1/23)
CNN: How To Protect A Loved One From Sexual Assault Or Abuse In A Nursing Home
It's the stuff of nightmares: Your loved one, who you thought was being well cared for in a long-term care facility or nursing home, was physically abused, raped or even impregnated. And you had no idea it was happening. The family of a 23-year-old developmentally disabled women faced that horrific reality last February, after authorities discovered signs of sexual assault and a broken hip while she was living at a healthcare facility in Pensacola, Florida. The violent assault resulted in a pregnancy and later miscarriage, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday. (LaMotte, 1/18)
