Arizona facility where incapacitated woman gave birth is shutting down
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Friday, Jan. 4, photo of Hacienda HealthCare in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The Arizona long-term care facility where an incapacitated woman was impregnated and later gave birth will cease operations, officials with its parent company said Thursday.
Hacienda HealthCare said in a statement that its board of directors had determined that it was not sustainable to continue operating the Phoenix facility, which serves infants, children and young adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities who require a high level of medical care.
The company said the board had voted to shut down the facility Feb. 1 and was working with state agencies to develop a plan to move 37 patients to other centers. Its skilled nursing facility will stay open.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We will continue to work with these agencies in the weeks and months ahead to ensure an appropriate and safe transition moving forward," the provider said in a statement. "The care of our patients remains our top priority and we will do everything in our power to ensure a smooth transition for them and their families."
Nathan Sutherland, facing charges in connection with an incapacitated woman at Hacienda. (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office via AP)
Hacienda HealthCare received international attention last month after the revelation that the 29-year-old victim, who had been at the facility since age 3, gave birth to a boy on Dec. 29. Nathan Sutherland, 36, a former licensed nurse, was charged with sexual assault after authorities determined his DNA matched a sample taken from the newborn.
He has pleaded not guilty.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}After the news surfaced, state regulators ordered Hacienda to hire a third-party management team to oversee daily operations. However, Hacienda and its contractor, Indiana-based Benchmark Human Services, were unable to come to a long-term agreement.
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"We encourage Hacienda to work with the state to find a path forward," the Arizona Department of Economic Security said in a statement. "State agencies are exhausting all efforts to bring this to a conclusion that is beneficial to the patients, some of whom have been at this facility nearly their entire lives."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}On Wednesday, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey ordered state agencies to improve protections for people with disabilities, requiring employees at state-funded care facilities to undergo annual training in recognizing and preventing abuse and neglect. Ducey has also asked State Attorney General Mark Brnovich to investigate Hacienda for potential violations of the Adult Protective Services Act or civil rights laws.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.