Thursday, July 06, 2000
Care center security reviewed after rape
By Sheila McLaughlin
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MASON — Officials at Brookside Extended Care Center were checking Wednesday whether a broken rear fire door might have allowed entry to an unidentified suspect who raped a 29-year-old severely disabled woman early Sunday.
“We're trying to figure out at what point that door did not totally secure,” said Brookside Administrator Dan Molina. “We still don't know if anyone came in through that door. We can't make assumptions that's the case.”
While police and the county Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities board continued to investigate the attack, John Lazares, head of the Warren County mental retardation agency, questioned the center's security Wednesday.
Concerned that doors were being left unlocked, he said he plans to visit Brookside today to find out “what is going on.”
The center at 780 Snider Road cares for 104 residents, age 7 to 56, who are moderately or profoundly retarded, Mr. Molina said.
Mason police have released little information about the rape, which was reported about 4:30 a.m. Sunday. No arrest has been made.
A resident at Brookside for 14 years, the woman does not speak and is profoundly retarded and severely physically disabled. Two other women who have similar medical conditions were in the room at the time of the attack, Mr. Molina said.
Mr. Molina said he does not know whether the suspect was an employee or an outsider. There were 10 people on duty at the time, including one man, he said.
“You just can't assume guilt,” Mr. Molina said. “The token male on that shift has been with the company 21/2 years. He is very well reputed. But we put everybody on the buddy system. Two are always together when they are working with patients.”
In addition, Mr. Molina said alarms have been installed on all of the center's outside doors. Mr. Molina said he has met with other residents' families and assured them the center was safe.
But state officials indicated that Brookside has had problems. It was barred from accepting new patients for a period last year because of concerns involving staffing levels.
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