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DENVER (AP) — Two ladies who say a nurse sexually assaulted them whereas they had been unconscious in intensive care filed a lawsuit Tuesday in opposition to the Colorado hospital the place they had been being handled, alleging the hospital’s administration did not do sufficient to stop 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 in regards to 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 had been unconscious or incapacitated.
Based on 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 essential maintain them perpetually … that is your Dexter assortment.”
The lawsuit claims he was referencing the tv present “Dexter,” wherein the primary character is a serial killer, and says the remark reveals he maintained a set of pictures or movies of his victims.
Based on courtroom paperwork, prosecutors have recognized three individuals who they imagine had 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, in line with the lawsuit.
Lambros’ lawyer, Scott Burrill, didn’t return a name or e mail looking for remark.
In a press release, St. Mary’s stated it’s absolutely cooperating within the investigation into Lambros however declined touch upon the lawsuit.
“We can’t provide additional particulars about this matter out of respect for affected person privateness,” it stated.
Siddhartha Rathod, one of many legal professionals for the ladies who filed the lawsuit, stated they’re the identical ladies Lambros is charged with assaulting. He stated the third sufferer who has been recognized has since died.
As a part of the legal case, prosecutors have advised his purchasers that investigators recovered 4 terabytes of information as proof and are nonetheless investigating how many individuals had been assaulted, Rathod stated. He stated a part of the rationale the swimsuit is being filed is to encourage some other potential victims to come back ahead.
“That is about public security and about hospitals guaranteeing that their sufferers should not solely protected however handled with dignity and respect,” he stated.
In assertion, District Lawyer Dan Rubenstein declined to touch upon the proof and what it could reveal. He famous that each the ladies’s legal professionals and hospital representatives have been speaking with prosecutors as they attempt to navigate the “difficult state of affairs” of defending affected person privateness legal guidelines and getting data wanted to prosecute the legal case.
“We can’t touch upon what proof we now have, and in addition can’t speculate on what we might discover,” he stated.
One of many ladies within the lawsuit stated she was sexually abused as a toddler and that she is offended, anxious and depressed after being victimized once more. She stated she has not acquired even an apology from the hospital however she’s nonetheless charged $905 every month from her checking account beneath a cost plan to pay the invoice for her hospital keep. She additionally will get common e mail and a textual content reminders of the debit.
“It is a slap within the face,” she stated.
The Related Press usually doesn’t establish individuals who say they’ve been sexually assaulted.
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