HCA Florida Westside Hospital employee accused of sexually abusing patients

PLANTATION – A 45-year-old hospital employee was suspended from his job after being accused of sexually abusing patients at HCA Florida Westside Hospital.

According to a new affidavit from Plantation police, one of the victims was 70 years old and was attacked after the suspect pulled down the victim’s shorts.

Police said he was arrested following a sexual misconduct investigation that lasted from January to May while he was employed at the hospital.

The suspect, Emerson Jean of Lauderdale Lakes, appeared briefly in bail court. He is facing charges including false imprisonment, sexual assault of a helpless person, sexual assault of a person 18 years of age or older and sexual assault of a person 65 years of age or older.

His bail was set at $75,000 and he is also under an immigration hold.

In a statement, a hospital spokeswoman said: “HCA Florida Westside Hospital does not tolerate behavior that endangers the well-being and safety of our patients. After learning of the allegations, we suspended the individual from all duties and barred him from hospital grounds. We are assisting law enforcement with the investigation.”

CBS News Miami visited Jean’s Lauderdale Lakes apartment. Neighbors said he was married and had four children. Jean’s wife said she didn’t want to say anything at the moment. A 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 advice and tells me not to do this and not to do that and listen to my parents about what is best for me and what is best for my parents. When I heard about the allegations, I thought he could never do something like that.”

Plantation police said anyone with information about similar experiences should contact Division Chief Detective William Tighe II at (954) 797-2120 or email [email protected] or contact Broward Crime Stoppers at (954) 493-TIPS (8477).