Woman in vegetative state who gave birth was 'raped several times'
A woman who gave birth in a vegetative state was reportedly raped several times.
The woman, who’s been identified as a 29-year-old Native American by news network NTD, was in a vegetative state for 14 years before giving birth at the Hacienda HealthCare facility in Arizona.
Police are also investigating potential sexual abuse after she gave birth on December 29, The New York Times reported.
It’s now alleged the 29-year-old was raped several times and she was impregnated at the facility with male staff members being asked to provide DNA samples, CBS 5 reported.
Hacienda confirmed the warrant for DNA samples to the news station and added it will do “everything” it can to “bring this police investigation to a quick conclusion”.
CEO resigns
Hacienda HealthCare CEO Bill Timmons has resigned after news of the birth emerged.
Mr Timmons offered his resignation on Monday and it was unanimously accepted by the facility’s board of directors.
Phoenix police said the birth is under investigation and declined to give further comment.
Hacienda board executive vice president Gary Orman said the facility “will accept nothing less than a full accounting of this absolutely horrifying situation”.
Further allegations
A woman who worked at Hacienda in a management position for more than a decade told CBS 5 she believes the baby, a boy, is alive and healthy.
She added many people would have had access to the woman’s room and cited a meeting with Mr Timmons in 1998 over concerns regarding the treatment of a separate patient.
Behind closed doors he was told about a non-verbal male in a bed at the facility with concerns female nurses were standing around his bed talking about his genitals.
The woman said staff were told by Mr Timmons not to report the incident to the Department of Child Safety.
Mr Timmons is yet to respond to the allegation.
A male patient also complained several staff members walked in on him while he was naked and showering with the assistance of a female member of staff in December 2017, according to records from the Department of Health and Human Services.
The female staff member said in the complaint other staff members enter and exit the shower room while showers are taking place.
“She stated it has now become a bad habit and a dignity problem,” the document states.
“She said that it would be degrading for a resident to have staff come and go, while a shower is being given.”
The document also states “it made him feel uncomfortable”.
Recommendations were given on how staff could fix these “deficiencies”.
With Associated Press
