Women sexually abused by ICU nurse sue Colorado hospital
DENVER (AP) — Two ladies who say a nurse sexually assaulted them whereas they have been unconscious in intensive care filed a lawsuit Tuesday towards the Colorado hospital the place they have been being handled, alleging the hospital’s administration did not do sufficient to forestall the abuse.
The lawsuit — which is proposed as a category motion swimsuit — alleges St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction and SCL Well being and Intermountain Healthcare, the businesses that ran the hospital, knew or ought to have identified concerning the actions of the nurse, Christopher Lambros, who has been arrested and charged with sexual assault. Police say Lambros would document himself sexually abusing feminine sufferers whereas they have been unconscious or incapacitated.
In accordance with his arrest affidavit, on a day in June when Lambros made 5 movies of himself abusing a affected person, he whispered to the digital camera saying “don’t ever do away with these movies” and “it’s worthwhile to hold them without end … that is your Dexter assortment.”
The lawsuit claims he was referencing the tv present “Dexter,” during which the primary character is a serial killer, and says the remark exhibits he maintained a set of images or movies of his victims.
In accordance with court docket paperwork, prosecutors have recognized three individuals who they consider have been assaulted by Lambros and assume a fourth one that has not been recognized but was assaulted in 2016. Lambros started working at St. Mary’s in 2012, based on the lawsuit.
Lambros’ lawyer, Scott Burrill, didn’t return a name or electronic mail looking for remark.
In a press release, St. Mary’s mentioned it’s absolutely cooperating within the investigation into Lambros however declined touch upon the lawsuit.
“We can’t supply additional particulars about this matter out of respect for affected person privateness,” it mentioned.
Siddhartha Rathod, one of many attorneys for the ladies who filed the lawsuit, mentioned they’re the identical ladies Lambros is charged with assaulting. He mentioned the third sufferer who has been recognized has since died.
As a part of the prison case, prosecutors have informed his shoppers that investigators recovered 4 terabytes of knowledge as proof and are nonetheless investigating how many individuals have been assaulted, Rathod mentioned. He mentioned a part of the explanation the swimsuit is being filed is to encourage every other potential victims to come back ahead.
“That is about public security and about hospitals guaranteeing that their sufferers usually are not solely protected however handled with dignity and respect,” he mentioned.
In assertion, District Lawyer Dan Rubenstein declined to touch upon the proof and what it could reveal. He famous that each the ladies’s attorneys and hospital representatives have been speaking with prosecutors as they attempt to navigate the “sophisticated state of affairs” of defending affected person privateness legal guidelines and getting data wanted to prosecute the prison case.
“We can’t touch upon what proof we have now, and likewise can’t speculate on what we might discover,” he mentioned.
One of many ladies within the lawsuit mentioned she was sexually abused as a toddler and that she is offended, anxious and depressed after being victimized once more. She mentioned she has not obtained even an apology from the hospital however she’s nonetheless charged $905 every month from her checking account underneath a cost plan to pay the invoice for her hospital keep. She additionally will get common electronic mail and a textual content reminders of the debit.
“It is a slap within the face,” she mentioned.
The Related Press typically doesn’t establish individuals who say they’ve been sexually assaulted.
