PHOENIX — The CEO of Hacienda Healthcare has stepped down amid an investigation into the sexual assault of a woman who gave birth while in a vegetative state.
Bill Timmons’ resignation was accepted unanimously by the Hacienda Board of Directors.
Gary Orman, Executive Vice President of the Hacienda Board and a Board Member since 1992, vowed that Hacienda “will accept nothing less than a full accounting of this absolutely horrifying situation, an unprecedented case that has devastated everyone involved, from the victim and her family to Hacienda staff at every level of our organization.”
“I want to assure our patients, their loved ones, our community partners, the agencies we do business with, Governor Ducey and the residents of Arizona, we will continue to cooperate with Phoenix Police and the investigating agencies at all levels in every way possible,” said Orman. “And we will do everything in our power to ensure the safety of every single one of our patients and our employees.”
Officials are looking into multiple angles to determine what exactly happened at the Valley nursing facility.
Part of the investigation is focused on the possibility of multiple sexual assaults on the woman, including assaults on different parts of the body.
RELATED: Police investigate sex assault after woman in vegetative state delivers baby at Hacienda Healthcare
Sources tell ABC15 that investigators are hoping to DNA test the staff at Hacienda Healthcare and are evaluating other patients at the establishment.
Reports state that the staff did not know the woman was pregnant until she was giving birth, but sources tell ABC15 this may not be true.
Investigators are looking into whether anyone kept the pregnancy a secret, according to sources, as the woman apparently showed a "bump."
Parents of patients at Hacienda Healthcare have called this incident "deeply concerning" and are considering moving their children from the facility.
Hacienda declined to talk on camera but did previously give ABC15 a statement reading in part:
"As an organization, Hacienda HealthCare stands fully committed to getting to the truth of what, for us, represents an unprecedented matter. We are already conducting a comprehensive internal review of our processes, protocols, and people to ensure that every single Hacienda resident is as safe and well cared for as possible. Anything less than that is unacceptable to our team, our company’s leaders and the communities we serve.”
