Nurse accused of impregnating women in vegetative state

Published

A 36-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of impregnating woman in a vegetative state who gave birth last month at a Phoenix health care facility, Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams said Wednesday.

Nathan Sutherland, a licensed practical nurse who was caring for the woman at the Hacienda HealthCare facility, has been arrested and is being booked on preliminary charges of sexual assault and vulnerable-adult abuse, Williams said.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/23/health/arizona-woman-birth-vegetative-state/index.html

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Specializes in ER.

He must be very insecure about his sexuality I'd say. What a weird thing to do.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Pediatric Float, PICU, NICU.

I still can not wrap my head around the fact that NONE of the healthcare providers of varying degrees and titles noticed that this woman receiving 24-hour care was pregnant??!! Like even if they didn't suspect she was pregnant, they should have noticed some chnge - weight gain, "bloating," lack of menses, etc. Blows my mind.

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Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.

That is probably why two of the doctors who cared for her no longer work there (one terminated, one resigned). The only way to explain it is lackadaisical assessment.

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This is just unbelievable. He took this poor woman's innocence while she was in a vulnerable state. He needs to go to jail for the rest of is life. And then rot in hell.

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Awful. I was hoping that it wouldn't end up being someone responsible for caring for her. What a terrible thing and he is a terrible human being.

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On 1/23/2019 at 1:46 PM, JadedCPN said:

I still can not wrap my head around the fact that NONE of the healthcare providers of varying degrees and titles noticed that this woman receiving 24-hour care was pregnant??!! Like even if they didn't suspect she was pregnant, they should have noticed some chnge - weight gain, "bloating," lack of menses, etc. Blows my mind.

I agree... and further, would not the family notice as well?

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This story broke during period when site was down for revamp. As such it might be considered "old news" by now. That and the arrest follows weeks of reporting on a story that just goes from lurid to disgusting.

https://abc7chicago.com/911-audio-shows-panic-after-comatose-woman-gave-birth/5057282/

https://www.10news.com/news/national/new-details-in-arizona-case-of-woman-in-vegetative-state-giving-birth

CEO of Hacienda Health resigned shortly after story broke: http://ktar.com/story/2385389/ceo-resigns-after-patient-in-vegetative-state-reportedly-gave-birth/

Even more bizarre the mother of young woman is her legal guardian (she has been in a vegative state since about three years old and confined most of this time to care at Hacienda Health). As part of court ordered care the mother had to file reports with said court regarding her daughter's health and well being. Mother visited her daughter at least once each month since including the time she was pregnant and she didn't notice anything was wrong either. Well at least she didn't file any such report with the courts.

But wait, there's more. About eight months ago as also per court order a physician filed with said court his report regarding her condition after a physical examination. Doctor noted "no change in condition".

Patient would have been only about month or so into her pregnancy, and while likely not showing there are other signs that would have been visible. So either the doctor in question made only the most cursory of physical exams, or just stood by her bed and "looked things over". In any event both in house physicians for Hacienda Healthcare are gone as of today. One resigned while the other is suspended.

For the record this has happened at least once before. Back in 1996 a comatose young female in Rochester, NY was raped by a male staff member of LTC facility she was confined to care. She subsequently gave birth to a baby boy.

https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2019/01/11/comatose-woman-gave-birth-rochester-23-years-before-phoenix-case/2540086002/

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On ‎1‎/‎23‎/‎2019 at 1:46 PM, JadedCPN said:

I still can not wrap my head around the fact that NONE of the healthcare providers of varying degrees and titles noticed that this woman receiving 24-hour care was pregnant??!! Like even if they didn't suspect she was pregnant, they should have noticed some chnge - weight gain, "bloating," lack of menses, etc. Blows my mind.

Well think about it; if the LPN in charge of this patient's care was one of her primary nurses for all these past months do you think he was going to document and or report any signs of pregnancy?

Furthermore if any of the other nurses or staff even brought up the subject he could always "laugh it off" by simply saying "now how could that happen in here?" or something to that affect.

Being as that may a former caretaker of this young woman gave a media interview. There she stated that her patient depended upon staff for everything. Bathing, toileting, feeding, linen changes, etc... So yes, on the face of it you'd think someone would have noticed physical changes in this young woman.

OTOH if Hacienda Health is remotely like many other such places there is probably only the legally required minimum professional nurse/RN. She (or he) is likely the DON with little direct patient care responsibilities.

Next (and likely largest group of nurses) would be the LPNs, which again if this place is like most others there are only just enough to satisfy various mandates. Thus they are probably spread thin providing care legally only a nurse can provide. That leaves the largest group of care providers; techs and aides. Their knowledge of human A&P beyond what is necessary to be certified probably varies. Even for those that are female and have had children themselves noticing certain physical changes in the young woman while bathing or whatever intimate contact may not have registered as pregnancy. Again after all how could it happen in a supposed secure facility. If they did notice and reported their concerns to the above LPN, he surely would not document and or otherwise "investigate".

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Specializes in Tele, ICU, Staff Development.

Every year we are voted the most trusted profession and he has disgraced us.

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Specializes in Tele, ICU, Staff Development.

Are patients' doctors in LTC required to do a physical exam from time to time?

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7 hours ago, Nurse Beth said:

Are patients' doctors in LTC required to do a physical exam from time to time?

It has been my experience that a every 90 day assessment by a physician is the minimum requirement in LTC.

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