Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
DNA From Nursing Facility Workers Collected As Part Of Investigation Into Woman Who Gave Birth In Vegetative State
The New York Times: Police Collect DNA From Nursing Home Workers After Sexual Assault Of Patient
The police collected the DNA of male employees of a private nursing home in Arizona on Tuesday as they continued to investigate allegations that a woman in a vegetative state there who gave birth to a child last month had been sexually assaulted, the nursing home’s parent company said. The move represented an escalation in the case, just one day after the longtime chief executive of the company resigned. The police in Phoenix announced Friday that they had opened the investigation into the alleged assault. (Stevens, Rueb and Kramer, 1/9)
Arizona Republic: Phoenix Police Get DNA At Facility Where Patient Became Pregnant
The patient, who gave birth Dec. 29, was a resident at Hacienda HealthCare's facility called Hacienda de los Angeles, 1402 E. South Mountain Ave. Hacienda de los Angeles is described in state records as a 60-bed, intermediate-level care facility for people with intellectual disabilities. (Innes, 1/8)
The Washington Post: Hacienda HealthCare Assault: Bill Timmons Resigns, San Carlos Apache Tribe Says Woman In Vegetative State Is Member Of Tribe
Hacienda “will accept nothing less than a full accounting of this absolutely horrifying situation, an unprecedented case that has devastated everyone involved, from the victim and her family to Hacienda staff at every level of our organization,” Gary Orman, a member of Hacienda’s board of directors, said in the statement. No one has been arrested in connection with the incident, and it’s unclear whether police have identified any suspects. In Arizona, sexually assaulting a vulnerable adult is a felony. (Wong and Wootson, 1/8)
The Associated Press: Family Of Woman In Vegetative State Outraged After Baby Born
Police served a search warrant Tuesday to get DNA from all male employees at a long-term care facility in Phoenix where a patient who had been in a vegetative state for years gave birth, triggering reviews by state agencies and putting a spotlight on safety concerns for patients who are severely disabled or incapacitated. Hacienda HealthCare said it welcomed the DNA testing of employees. (Tang, 1/8)
