The Phoenix police probe sexual assault after a woman in a vegetative state for 10 years gave birth at a private health care facility in Phoenix.
In a shocker for the staff at Hacienda Healthcare, the patient, who was a victim of a near-drowning more than 10 years ago, went into labour on December 29 and delivered a baby boy.
However, the staff at Hacienda Healthcare were unaware of her pregnancy. According to the reports, she was moaning and the baby’s head was starting to emerge when a nurse came in.
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“None of the staff were aware that she was pregnant until she was pretty much giving birth,” azfamily.com quoted a source familiar with the situation as saying. That person said the baby was said to be alive and healthy.
In a statement, Hacienda said that they will fully co-operating with law enforcement and are in the process of reviewing its security protocols.
“While federal and state privacy laws prohibit us from publicly discussing a patient’s health or case, Hacienda has and will continue to co-operate fully with law enforcement and all the relevant regulatory agencies regarding this matter,” the statement read.
Following the incident, the Phoenix police have started an investigation in what could be a sexual assault case. “This matter is currently under investigation by the Phoenix Police Department,” Sergeant Tommy Thompson told Reuters when asked about the media reports.
However, no one has been arrested in connection with the incident, and it’s unclear whether police have identified any suspects.