Portland nursing assistant charged with raping elderly patients

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — At least five more women have come forward to say they were sexually abused by a nursing assistant at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center.

KATU-TV reports (http://bit.ly/2dVmSl6 ) that Adeladilew Mekonen pleaded not guilty in Washington County last month to charges he raped two elderly patients at the hospital.

He now faces 10 more charges of sexual abuse – one of them a felony, according to court records. His bail was set at $1 million.

All of the alleged acts took place in August and September of this year.

Providence is facing a $1.5 million lawsuit filed on behalf of an 87-year-old patient seeking damages for the alleged abuse.

Providence officials told KATU News they won’t comment on the pending litigation, said they are cooperating with the sheriff’s office investigation.

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Information from: KATU-TV, http://www.katu.com/