The incident involved an attempted sexual attack on a sleeping patient at an Atlanta hospital. A man from Georgia, who was apparently under the influence of crack, was discovered naked in the patient’s room.
Online booking records reveal that 24-year-old Shamon Pearce is facing charges related to the attack on the 47-year-old lady, including aggravated assault, battery, and misdemeanor sexual battery.
According to the Atlanta police, the event occurred on September 27 at Grady Memorial Hospital. The police incident record revealed that Pearce was first seen smoking from a crack pipe in the elevator before he went into the room of a stroke patient.
The woman informed authorities that the victim awoke just as the perpetrator was attempting to cover her head with a sheet, according to the report. In response to her inquiry, he allegedly grew violent, jumped on top of her, and ordered her to remain silent and motionless; she subsequently reported the incident to the authorities.
“She then realized what he was doing,” according to the report. “She began moving and telling him to get off her and they both fell off the bed. She tried to scream for someone to help.”
According to the report, the suspect was discovered naked and the patient was located on the floor of the room by the hospital staff.
The report stated that one of the nurses contacted for assistance after taking pictures on her phone.
According to the television station, Pearce managed to overcome the nurses’ attempts to keep him in the room by running nude down the hall and down a flight of stairs.
Reports indicate that Pearce spent an hour hiding in a trash bin in the basement before locating a discarded hospital gown, which he then allegedly put on before leaving the premises. According to the incident report, officers first told him that he had been discharged from the hospital hours before, and he was subsequently apprehended nearby.
“He got on the bed with her and rolled over on her, he was high and smoking drugs and he was just trying something new,” he allegedly admitted to the police later that day.
The hospital issued a statement stating, “Our top priority is the safety of our patients, staff, and visitors.”
In order to beef up security, the hospital has announced measures such as closing inpatient wards and instituting badge access. They have also increased the number of security personnel stationed throughout the facility. Additionally, in order to access any ward, visitors are required by hospital policy to contact the nurse’s station.
“A robust visitor management system will be installed,” the statement said. “This system will ensure we can account for every person inside the hospital. We will be implementing an alert system that equips staff with wearable mobile panic buttons for emergency situations.”
According to records found online, Pearce was being held at the Fulton County Jail with a bail set at $10,000.