Emerson Jean is accused of digitally penetrating a patient at HCA Westside Hospital in Plantation, Florida. He may have assaulted other patients, cops say. (Jean: Broward County Jail; Background: Google Maps)
A patient care technician at a Florida hospital is behind bars after he allegedly sexually assaulted a 70-year-old patient.
Emerson Jean, 45, is facing charges of sexual battery of a helpless person, false imprisonment and battery upon a person 65 years of age or older. Officers from the Plantation Police Department on May 29 responded to the HCA Westside Hospital at 8201 W. Broward Blvd. The woman accused Jean of digitally penetrating her as she lay in her hospital bed.
According to a probable cause arrest affidavit, cops were already familiar with Jean because he was a suspect in a different case with similar allegations. The victim told detectives she arrived at the hospital’s emergency room on Memorial Day and was later admitted to the hospital for stomach pain. Jean and a male nurse introduced themselves and left the room.
She told detectives she tried to move on her side to help relieve the pain, and Jean came back into her room, leaned and whispered in her ear, asking if she was in pain. The woman said Jean “insisted” on doing a pelvic examination on her. That’s when Jean allegedly lifted her bedsheet. He tried going up her underwear, and when that didn’t work, he pulled them down, the affidavit said.
“[Jean] was described as being on her right side then laying his body over top of hers,” the affidavit said. “[The victim] had no ability to move her right arm/hand at this point. She also could not move him off of her body nor move her body at all.”
Jean then “forcibly” penetrated her vagina with his fingers, detectives wrote. She told detectives that he was hurting her, and she could not call for help.
“[The victim], at this point in the statement, broke down even more and cried out, ‘I’m an old lady, why would he do this to me?’” the affidavit said.
Jean left the room, leaving her in pain. When a doctor came in a short time later, she told him what happened, and he went to report it. Two nurses came in to take her statement. When Jean came back to the room, one of the nurses said in a “stern voice” that Jean was not going to “come near” the patient again. Jean claimed the woman wanted him to examine her. The hospital later put him on leave.
Nurses told detectives Jean had no reason nor credentials to examine the patient.
“At HCA Florida Westside Hospital, we do not tolerate behavior that jeopardizes the well-being and safety of our patients. Once we learned of the allegations, we suspended the individual from all duties and restricted their access to the hospital premises. We are assisting law enforcement with their investigation,” a statement from the hospital said.
Plantation police said in a press release it is investigating possible sexual misconduct by Jean that occurred between January and May. Jean has been employed with the hospital since 2021, police say.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Plantation Police Detective William Tighe II at 954-797-2120 or [email protected]. People can also contact Broward County Crime Stoppers anonymously at 954-493-8477.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
