A baby has been born to a woman who has been in a persistent vegetative state at a health care facility for 14 years.
The little boy nearly died at birth after being delivered over the Christmas period.
Police launched a rape investigation after being called to the facility on December 29 regarding an infant who had been “coded”.
The term is used by emergency services to describe a person who is in distress, has stopped breathing and/or is unconscious.
Search warrants have been issued to obtain DNA evidence from men working at the Hacienda HealthCare centre.
Sgt Tommy Thompson of the Phoenix police department said potential suspects were not limited to Hacienda employees, but would not confirm if DNA evidence would be obtained from visitors to the centre.
He told reporters: “As a police officer for 35 years, this is a case that even shocks my conscience, to think that something like this could occur.
“She was not in a position to give consent to any of this. This was a helpless victim who was sexually assaulted.”
The 29-year-old woman has been in a persistent vegetative state since almost drowning over a decade ago, and cannot move or communicate.
Hacienda employees apparently did not know the victim was pregnant before she went into labour.
John Micheaels, a solicitor for the woman’s family, told CNN: “The family obviously is outraged, traumatised and in shock by the abuse and neglect of their daughter at Hacienda HealthCare.
“The family would like me to convey that the baby boy has been born into a loving family and will be well cared for.”
Gary Orman, executive vice president of Hacienda HealthCare’s board of directors, has promised a “full accounting of this absolutely horrifying situation”.
Bill Timmons, Chief Executive Officer, has resigned.
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