Arrest Made in NYC Hospital Sex Assault on Comatose Woman

A man who turned himself in to police on Wednesday after a 68-year-old comatose woman was sexually assaulted at Lincoln Medical Center in the Bronx, faces sexual abuse charges, PIX11 News of New York City reports.



Police say Roberto Marcucci, 62, entered the lobby of the hospital in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx on Monday afternoon, rode the elevator up, walked into the woman's room, which she shared with another woman, and sexually assaulted her.

According to the report, the roommate said she saw the man performing a sex act on the unconscious woman. The roommate called a nurse who scared off the attacker, a police source told PIX11.

The attacker left the hospital before security officers could find him. Surveillance images from the elevator and the hallways showed the suspect as having a slight build and walking with a limp. Police had offered a $2500 reward for information, according to CBS New York.

According to the New York Daily News , Marcucci, from Queens, has been previously arrested on charges of assault, petty larceny, and drug possession and is being held on $40,000 bail after arraignment Thursday in Bronx Criminal Court. The newspaper also reported that police said Marcucci entered the hospital to visit someone else.

The hospital did not answer an inquiry from Medscape Medical News about security practices, but said in a statement: "At NYC Health + Hospitals the safety of our patients and staff are our first priority always. Our staff immediately reported the incident to NYCPD, shared the security video, and are assisting with investigation.”

ABC News reported that NYC Health and Hospitals released a statement saying, "At NYC Health + Hospitals, the safety of our patients and staff are our first priority always. Our staff immediately reported the incident to NYPD, shared the security video, and are assisting with the investigation."

News reports said the victim has been in a coma since she was admitted on April 21. It was not immediately clear whether the suspect knew the victim.

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