The granddaughter of a 96-year-old woman who lives at a nursing home in Indiana said her grandmother was sexually assaulted two weeks ago by another resident.
Gloriatte Evans-Dumas’ grandmother, who has dementia, has lived at Harbor Health and Rehab in East Chicago, Indiana, for about two years.
Evans-Dumas said the assault was carried out by a 90-year-old resident of the facility who is a convicted sex offender.
“I believe that the nursing home is trying to protect itself versus its residents," Evans-Dumas said. "I had to take her to the emergency room to get an exam to make sure she was not penetrated."
Evans-Dumas said she reported the incident to police. She said the man was not arrested, has not been charged and still lives at the facility where her grandmother resides.
Evans-Dumas filed a lawsuit against the nursing home and the alleged attacker.
Illinois and Indiana both allow people with serious criminal records to live in nursing homes as long there’s a plan in place to ensure they don’t endanger other residents, visitors or staff. On the Lake County Sheriff’s website, NBC Chicago found two registered sex offenders listed as living at the nursing home at 5025 McCook Ave.
Local
In a statement, Harbor Health told NBC Chicago, "we promptly reported the incident to state and local authorities in full compliance with Indiana regulations, initiating a comprehensive investigation."
East Chicago, Indiana, police told NBC Chicago that once witnesses are interviewed, the case will be forwarded to the Lake County prosecutor's office for review.
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