PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — Police have made an arrest in the sexual assault of a patient at a Phoenix long-term healthcare facility.
[WATCH: Phoenix police, mayor announce Hacienda HealthCare arrest]
In a press conference Wednesday morning, Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams along with Phoenix Mayor Thelda Williams announced that 36-year-old Nathan Sutherland has been arrested on sexual assault charges.
[SPECIAL SECTION: Hacienda HealthCare investigation]
Chief Williams said Sutherland, a licensed practical nurse at Hacienda HealthCare, was responsible for providing care for the victim at the time the sexual assault occurred.
The charges come from the investigation into the facility after a woman who was originally reported to be in a vegetative state gave birth late last month.The family has since clarified that she is not in a vegetative state but has “significant intellectual disabilities as a result of seizures very early in her childhood.”
Sutherland made his first court appearance Wednesday morning.
[RELATED: Hacienda suspect appears in court for first time]
During his brief appearance, a judge ordered that he be held on a $500,000 cash only bond, adhering to the state’s request.
The state asked for a HIV testing but the judge ruled that it was not possible at this time.
[PDF: Court documents for Nathan Sutherland]
According to Sutherland’s lawyers, he has no prior record and has lived in Arizona since 1993. They say that there is no evidence in this case besides DNA. His lawyers are asking for their own independent DNA test.
Sutherland’s next court date is set for Jan. 30 at 8:30 a.m.
Immediately following Sutherland’s court appearance Wednesday, attorneys for the victim’s family released the following statement:
“The family and I are aware of the recent arrest of a Hacienda employee by the Phoenix Police Department. At this time, neither the family nor I wish to comment any further on this matter.“
According to Sutherland’s lawyers, he has no prior record and has lived in Arizona since 1993. They say that there is no evidence in this case besides DNA. His lawyers are asking for their own independent DNA test.
Sutherland’s next court date is set for Jan. 30 at 8:30 a.m.
[RELATED: Who is the nurse arrested for sexual assault at Hacienda Healthcare?]
Following the announcement of Sutherland’s arrest Friday morning, Hacienda HealthCare released this statement:
Every member of the Hacienda organization is troubled beyond words to think that a licensed practical nurse could be capable of seriously harming a patient. Once again, we offer an apology and send our deepest sympathies to the client and her family, to the community and to our agency partners at every level.
Nathan Sutherland, who held a current state of Arizona practical nurse’s license and who had undergone an extensive background check upon hiring – was terminated from Hacienda the moment our leadership team learned of his arrest. As we have since the first minutes of this police investigation, the Hacienda team will continue to cooperate with investigators from multiple agencies in every way possible.
We will do everything in our power to ensure justice in this case.
In the past two weeks, the Hacienda team has increased security measures to ensure the safety of all our patients. We will continue to do so. We also will continue to review and improve what is already an in-depth vetting process for caregivers at Hacienda. We will not tolerate any mistreatment of a Hacienda patient, nor will we stop until every Hacienda patient is as safe as we can make them.
Arizona’s Family first broke the story less than a week after the woman gave birth to a baby boy on Dec. 29, 2018.
[ORIGINAL STORY: Woman in vegetative state gives birth at Hacienda Healthcare in Phoenix]
The 29-year-old woman had been a patient at Hacienda Healthcare since she was a toddler.
We learned Tuesday that the woman’s primary care doctor, Dr. Thanh Nguyen, was suspended by the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System on Jan. 15.
[READ MORE: Primary care doctor for woman who gave birth at Hacienda HealthCare identified, suspended]
Sgt. Tommy Thompson with Phoenix police said Sutherland was connected to the case through DNA. On Tuesday, Jan. 22, investigators determined that Sutherland’s DNA matched the baby, Thompson said.
Sutherland was booked into jail on one count of sexual assault and one count of vulnerable adult abuse.
