Police investigating allegation of nursing home sexual assault of elderly woman

FORESTVILLE, Md. - Prince George's County police are investigating a claim by a patient at a Forestville nursing home that she was sexually assaulted by a staff member.

The 83-year-old woman told police it happened earlier this week in the middle of the night while she was in bed.

Police said they were called to the Forestville Health and Rehabilitation Center twice since last Sunday to investigate incidents involving staffers.

The first incident did not rise to the level of a criminal investigation, police say. However, the staffer in question has been suspended.

Police said the second incident, a sexual misconduct allegation, was reported to them Thursday night and they have been investigating it since then.

The 83-year-old woman making the claim told her nephew the sexual assault took place sometime in the middle of the night from Monday into Tuesday when a male nurse came into to change her adult diaper. She told her nephew she tried to report the allegation, but nothing was done. That is when he said he called the police and they immediately had his aunt taken to the hospital for an exam.

"She is in shock," said the woman's nephew, who did not want to be identified. "She is very sad. She is doing a lot of crying, not eating well. She is distraught about what happened."

The woman has returned to the nursing home facility, but the family is looking for another place for her to stay.

An attorney for the nursing home said the staff takes all allegations of assault seriously. Along with an internal investigation, they also notified the police and the state agency with oversight of nursing home facilities.