A Utah nurse has been accused of raping and threatening to kill a female surgery patient.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Joshua Platte Shumway, 26, was arrested Monday after an unidentified woman came to police and told them of her alleged ordeal that happened in April.
The details are disturbing.
The 37-year-old woman was staying the night at Uintah Basin Medical Center in Roosevelt, where Shumway worked, to recover after a surgery.
Shumway entered her room during the night and allegedly sexually assaulted the woman five times in the course of the evening. He was not her assigned nurse.
According to a probable cause statement, the nurse first gave her medication before placing her hand on an automatic morphine injector to activate it. The woman told investigators she had stopped using the injector because it was making her nauseous.
After pumping her with morphine, Shumway allegedly lifted up the woman's hospital gown and began fondling her multiple times in the night. The victim said he then forced her to touch him inappropriately and made her engage in sex acts, Desert News reported.
"[She] stated that she was trying to say, 'No, please,'" charging documents state. Despite her pleas, Shumway allegedly continued.
The woman told investigators she tried searching for a nurse call button to get help, but was unable to find it.
On his fourth visit into her room, Shumway allegedly showed her a syringe and said he could put her into cardiac arrest with it. Detectives said he also threatened her should she tell anyone, saying that he knew where she lived and "could find her if needed."
On his final visit, Shumway is accused of strangling the victim.
"Each time she would whimper or cry, [he] would tighten his grip on her neck," investigators wrote.
After the incident, the victim said she sought counseling and was persuaded by her therapist to come forward to police with the allegations.
Shumway had passed a background check before being hired on as a nurse, according to Fox 13.
The accused was booked into Duchesne County jail with a bail set at $500,000.
He now faces a long list of felony charges, including object rape and forcible sodomy, three counts of forcible sexual abuse, and three counts of witness tampering. Shumway has also been charged with making threats of violence, a misdemeanor.
Shumway voluntarily surrendered his nursing license on Tuesday.
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.