Nursing assistant charged with forcibly touching patient at Middle Island rehabilitation center, police say
The Suffolk County Police Department said a Farmingville man faces charges for allegedly forcibly touching a patient at a Middle Island rehabilitation center. Credit: Paul Mazza
A certified nursing assistant has been arrested and charged for allegedly forcibly touching a patient at a Middle Island rehabilitation center, the Suffolk County Police Department said.
Kevin Lopez-Diaz, 23, of Farmingville, was charged Saturday with first-degree endangering the welfare of an incompetent/physically disabled person and two counts of forcible touching, according to a police department news release.
The alleged incidents took place on Sept. 3 and Sept. 4 while Lopez-Diaz was working at Surge Rehabilitation and Nursing on Oakcrest Avenue, the release said.
The patient, a 32-year-old woman, notified another nursing assistant of the alleged incident and was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital on Sept. 5 for an evaluation, according to the release.
Todd Shapiro, a spokesperson for Surge, said in a statement the facility "immediately followed all necessary protocols and contacted law enforcement" upon learning of the allegations.
"Surge has zero tolerance for any conduct that threatens the safety, dignity, health, or well-being of the people entrusted to our care," Shapiro said.
Lopez-Diaz was held overnight at the Sixth Precinct and scheduled for arraignment Sunday at First District Court in Central Islip, according to the police.
Updated arraignment information was not immediately available late Sunday afternoon.
Joshua Needelman covers the Town of North Hempstead for Newsday. A Long Island native and University of Maryland graduate, his work has appeared in publications including The New York Times and The Washington Post.
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