The owner of a long-term care facility in Phoenix where a patient in a vegetative state was impregnated and gave birth in December 2018 hired a former attorney to investigate the "facts and circumstances" that led up to the patient's sexual assault, NPR reports.
Hacienda Healthcare officials said they recruited former Maricopa County (Ariz.) Attorney Rick Romley "to ensure a comprehensive, objective and transparent review of the facts of this deeply disturbing matter."
"Mr. Romley will have unfettered access to every facet of Hacienda's business —including all the records related to this matter and all the operational procedures related to the [facility]," the board of directors said.
"We will do everything we can to aid this review and, once it is complete, to make sure this unprecedented situation never, ever happens again," they said.
At a news conference held Jan. 14, Mr. Romley said the investigation will focus on uncovering lapses in management and security practices that let the sexual assault happen.