Patient Accuses Hospital Employee of Sexual Battery, Nursing Assistant Arrested

Cody Baca, a nursing assistant at the John Muir Medical Center outside of San Francisco, was charged this week with sexual battery after a patient accused him of misconduct.

He turned himself in to local police in Walnut Creek, California, after a $105,000 warrant was issued for his arrest, according to the Bay City News Service.

The East Bay Times reported the investigation into Baca began in October after a patient at the hospital reported a sexual assault. The 29-year-old was charged with sexual battery and burglary. Officials reportedly did not provide further details about the burglary. 

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John Muir spokesman Ben Drew said Baca had been put on leave. 

"The Walnut Creek Police Department informed us that they arrested Cody Baca, a nursing assistant employed at our Walnut Creek Medical Center," Drew said in a statement to Newsweek. "We understand that the arrest relates to a patient complaint and we are cooperating fully with the Walnut Creek Police Department’s investigation. The care and safety of our patients is always our highest priority and we take all patient complaints very seriously. In light of the serious nature of the allegations and his arrest, Mr. Baca has been placed on administrative leave."

Reports of sexual assault in hospitals and other medical facilities are, unfortunately, not that uncommon. In a thorough investigation from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that utilized 100,000 disciplinary documents, the paper found 3,100 doctors were disciplined for sexual infractions and 2,400 cases that involved sanctions for actions involving patients.

"A broken system forgives sexually abusive doctors in every state," the paper wrote.