A Goodyear long-term care facility is under scrutiny after failing to quickly report allegations of sexual abuse of a patient by a staff member, according to details shared by an attorney and confirmed through state department findings. The incident allegedly involved a certified nursing assistant, Bobby Lee Williams, who is now at the center of investigations that claim he had sexual intercourse with a patient at Palm Valley Post Acute.
The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) began to piecing together the events after a complaint was lodged by a concerned staff member on November 17, 2023. Yet, the facility reportedly did not suspend Williams until November 13, which was 10 days after they were made aware of the abuse, according to a statement the department shared.
Travis Davis, an attorney representing the alleged victim, described the series of events at the care facility in a statement obtained by ABC15. Davis accused Palm Valley Acute Care of an "egregious lack of care" and said his client suffered "life-altering injuries" due to the sexual violence which reportedly began with unwanted touching and escalated to forcible rape.
The accused employee, Williams, later decided to voluntarily surrender his certificate, amidst allegations that he had impregnated a patient, according to documents from the Arizona State Board of Nursing cited by 12News. The ADHS received the first report on the abuse and rapidly initiated an investigation into the allegations, which pointed to a failure on part of the facility to protect the patient and adhere to established care guidelines.
In response to the incident, Palm Valley Post Acute spokesperson Dan Kramer said, "We take our patients' safety, security and wellness seriously," reiterating the facility's stance on patient care and cooperation with the investigations. Goodyear police also confirmed that there is an "active investigation at this time" into the allegations at Palm Valley Post Acute, reports 12News.
