A Quakertown man who worked as a nurse at a Bethlehem rehabilitation facility is accused of sexually assaulting a disabled patient who could not speak, and was caught by a co-worker, according to Lehigh County prosecutors.
Robert Poindexter, 45, of the first block of Congress Court, is charged with one count of aggravated indecent assault in the assault of a 50-year-old woman May 31, 2013, at Manor Care, 2029 Westgate Drive in Bethlehem.
Poindexter was arraigned Monday by District Judge Wayne Maura and released on $25,000 unsecured bail. Manor Care administrator Suzanne Fisher said Poindexter was suspended immediately and no longer works at the center.
Prosecutors said Poindexter was charged after the case was presented to the Lehigh County grand jury.
At the time of the assault, the victim's legs were severely contracted, she only had limited movement of her head and hand because of an aneurysm, and she could not speak, prosecutors said.
A veteran certified nursing assistant told police that on May 31, 2013, the call button in the victim's room was activated.
The nursing assistant went to the victim's room and saw the door was closed, which she said was unusual, and the victim's bed was in a flat position; the bed was usually kept at an angle because the patient had a feeding tube, prosecutors said.
The nursing assistant told police she saw Poindexter on his knees by the side of the bed and he was sexually assaulting the patient, prosecutors said.
The nursing assistant reported the incident to a co-worker and shift supervisor, prosecutors said. Bethlehem police were called, and Manor Care's director of nursing services called her administrator.
The victim was taken to a hospital to be examined and, at that time, Poindexter was kept away from other patients, authorities said.
In a news release, District Attorney James Martin commended Manor Care for its response to this incident and its cooperation with Bethlehem police in the investigation.
Fisher said the witness followed center protocol, which calls for employees to stop any abuse, then notify superiors and the abuse coordinator.
The case was presented to a grand jury, the presentment from which is sealed, according to the news release.
Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@express-times.com. Follow her on Twitter@SarahCassi. Find Lehigh County news on Facebook.