BRIDGEVILLE, Pa. — Five nurses were sexually assaulted by the same patient at a local rehabilitation facility, police say.
According to investigators, the assaults happened over a span of five months at the Genesis Rehab and Care Center in Bridgeville.
“It’s something they shouldn’t have to deal with. Nobody deserves to have inappropriate contact,” said South Fayette Police Detective Rebekah Schultz.
Police have charged Curtis Fordham with sexual assault, exposing himself, and harassment.
“They obviously have a hard enough job as it is. They have a lot of patients and residents to take care of. And a lot of responsibilities to do their job as it is… this just adds another layer have to be concerned with," Schultz said.
The incidents allegedly happened between November of last year and this past March.
It came to a head when one of the nursing assistants called 911 in the middle of the night after she said Fordham touched her body inappropriately multiple times.
“As soon as we received it and began investigating, we started doing follow-ups. We found more victims and did immediate follow-ups with them,” Schutlz said.
According to police, victims told investigators that Fordham would ask staff to “put lotion on him” or “scratch his back” — then sometimes touch them, expose himself to them or make sexual comments.
South Fayette Police tell Channel 11, per their discussion with victims and staff, Fordham is independent and can dress and feed himself. They would not consider him to be cognitively impaired.
Investigators say it’s unclear if there are additional victims.
“It can be very difficult to let somebody know and talk about it. We want you to know, especially as South Fayette police, that we are here to make sure victims are taken care of and their needs are met and they are tested with the utmost respect,” Schultz said.
When police questioned Fordham, they say he “didn’t touch anybody” and “doesn’t remember any of it.”
Channel 11’s Gabriella Deluca reached out to the Genesis company and, so far, has not received a response.
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