Interior Health employee investigated for alleged sexual assault of ‘vulnerable’ resident
NOT THE FIRST ALLEGATION: POLICE
VERNON – Interior Heath Authority is reviewing an employee who was investigated by police for an allegation of sexual assault on a 'vulnerable' care facility resident.
Interior Health informed police of the allegations in July 2014 but the incident happened some time before. Vernon RCMP says interior health didn't report it to police until it concluded its own internal investigation. When police got involved, they found it wasn't the first allegation.
The RCMP Serious Crimes Unit discovered the same care aide had a prior allegation of sexual assault on a severely physically disabled person in 2011, committed while at work. RCMP recommended charges on both incidents, however those charges were not approved by Crown counsel. The file was kept open for some time for further review and consultation with the Crown and Interior Health, but RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says the investigation is now closed.
“They (Crown) have determined there isn’t anything they can put forth for charges in relation to the assault,” Molendyk says.
In general, sexual assault cases are notoriously difficult to prove in court because often there are no independent witnesses. No information about the specifics of the allegations has been released in this case.
While the police investigation did not result in charges, Residential Health Services Administrator Heather Hogan says Interior Health’s review of the matter remains active.
“I can confirm Interior Health has been working with the RCMP on an investigation involving one of our staff members at a care facility in Vernon,” Hogan said in an email. “While I can’t speak to the details due to the need to protect the resident and employee privacy and confidentiality, I can tell you the employee is not currently working with residents in Interior Health.”
Hogan wouldn’t speak to the specifics of the case, including at which facility the alleged offense occurred.
“What I can tell you is the safety and security of residents and staff is our top priority and whenever a complaint is made Interior Health thoroughly investigates,” Hogan said. “If at any time during that process there are any allegations or findings that may involve a criminal element, they are reported to the RCMP immediately.”
Infonews.ca requested an interview with Hogan but was denied in favour of an email response. Hogan was asked specifically if the health authority delayed reporting the incident to police while it conducted its own investigation and if that is corporate policy. She did not answer the question nor any follow up questions. Hogan also wouldn’t say whether the resident remains under Interior Health’s care or when the allegations were first brought forward to administration.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infonews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
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8 responses
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If this sick individual is a care aide or a nurse they have to be registered.I hope this individual will be banned from working with any individuals that are vulnerable.This individual is as low as a pedophile.Laws need to be changed to protect the people that can’t protect themselves.
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InfoNews Vernon What Linda is asking, andyou have misunderstood the question, is, why is IH STILL employing this person!?After the first charge the person should have been suspended with no pay, and if no charges were laid, they should NEVER be allowed access to patients ever again, and now after a second one??Really??Why are they still with IH regardless of the fact they have been removed from direct care of patients??They should be fired!For our most Vulnerable to exposed to someone that has already had one charge, andnot removed, is ridiculous.Private Sector would never tolerate this.Why is IH tolerating this?
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Wanda, I don’t mean to disappoint you, but the police have finished their investigation and charges won’t be laid.
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Chantal, reading between the lines of the authority’s statement, it appears the employee is still working at IH, just “not currently working with residents in Interior Health.” The statement is very unclear, however. We have asked for clarification, but so far it’s not been forthcoming.
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Wanda, the police didn’t leave it to IH to investigate. It appears IH has some internal protocol to investigate on its own before involving police. We have asked for clarification on protocol but so far we’ve been stonewalled. Seems experienced, trained RCMP investigators would be the best ones to investigate.
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LindaJim, our understanding is that both of these allegations occurred while on the job at IH. No indication the previous allegation was made BEFORE the employee was hired. Appears to be after he was hired. Again we get very little information from IH and are trying hard to get more.
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So ummm, how do we know that this unnamed person isn’t going to be unknowingly hired by another facility?Being the mother of a ‘vulnerable’ daughter this is of great concern to me.
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if it so hard to prove why is there so many people in prison and why does the police jump to conclusion with out any witnesses or is it the ones that think they are above the LAW that works for some goverment agency.
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