(FASTNEWS|COLOMBO) – A nurse has pleaded not guilty to charges of raping an incapacitated woman who unexpectedly gave birth at a clinic where she was in his care.
Nathan Sutherland, 36, is accused of sexual assault and abuse of a vulnerable adult.
The 29-year-old victim has been a patient at Hacienda HealthCare facility in Arizona for about two decades. She gave birth to a baby boy in December.
Mr Sutherland was arrested after his DNA matched a sample from the newborn.
Dave Gregan, Mr Sutherland’s lawyer, told reporters outside the court that his client “is entitled to due process of the law”.
He added that Mr Sutherland will fight the charges, and plans to commission an independent DNA test.
The accused was fired from the Phoenix clinic – where he had worked since 2012 as a registered nurse – after his arrest.