A 61-year-old maintenance technician has been arrested and charged with the second-degree sexual assault and fourth-degree criminal sexual contact of an 82-year-old female resident in a New Jersey senior living center. The man was taken from the facility by local police after he was observed by another employee assaulting a resident in the facility. The man tried to persuade the employee not to tell what she had witnessed because he feared the loss of his job.
The victim who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease was able to tell the police that she had been sexually assaulted. She was taken to a medical facility after she complained of pain due to the assault.
The facility issued this statement: “While we cannot provide details on the alleged incident because there is an ongoing investigation, what we can tell you is that we acted swiftly, immediately calling the police, notifying the resident’s family, suspending the staff member in question, and reporting the allegation to the New Jersey Department of Health. We are working with local authorities to ensure a thorough investigation.”
The accused maintenance man remains in jail and as of July 6, has not been arraigned.
Compliance Perspective
Failure to keep residents safe and free from being sexually assaulted by an employee who is able to gain access to residents under the guise of performing a service or procedure may be considered abuse, neglect, and exploitation, in violation of state and federal regulations.
Discussion Points:
- Review policies and procedures regarding performance of periodic employee checks and the supervision of maintenance personnel who are called on to perform services during times when they may not be as easily observed, such as during evening shifts when fewer staff are on duty.
- Train staff regarding their obligation to immediately report suspected criminal incidents to their supervisor or through the facility’s Hotline.
- Periodically audit to ensure that employee checks are being performed so the facility does not employ anyone who has been convicted of committing criminal acts.
