HCA Florida Westside Hospital employee accused of sexually battering patients
PLANTATION - A 45-year-old hospital employee has been suspended from his job after allegations he sexually battered patients at HCA Florida Westside Hospital.
According to a new arrest affidavit from Plantation police, one of the victims was 70 years old and was assaulted after the suspect pulled down the victim's shorts.
Police said he was arrested after a sexual misconduct investigation that ran from January through May while he was employed at the hospital.
The suspect, Emerson Jean of Lauderdale Lakes, made a brief appearance in bond court. He faces charges including false imprisonment, sexual battery on a helpless person, sexual battery on a person 18 years or older and sexual battery on a person 65 years or older.
His bond was set at $75,000 and he is also on an immigration hold.
In a statement, a spokeswoman for the hospital said "HCA Florida Westside Hospital does 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 the investigation."
CBS News Miami stopped at Jean's apartment in Lauderdale Lakes where neighbors said he was a married father of four children. Jean's wife said she did not want to say anything right now. One neighbor said she "was distraught."
Neighbor David Alfred said he was surprised by the allegations.
He said, "I thought it was a lie. He talks to me every day and gives me life lessons and tells me not to do that and not to do this and to listen to my parents on what is best for me and what is best for my parents. When I heard about the charges, I thought that he could never do such a thing."
Plantation police said anyone who has information about similar experiences should contact the department care of detective William Tighe II at (954) 797-2120 or email wjtighe@psd.plantation.org or contact Broward Crime Stoppers at (954) 493-TIPS (8477).