A Bronx nursing home nurse was arrested Tuesday, accused of raping a 64-year-old patient who cannot communicate, police and relatives say.
Police said the 42-year-old supervising nurse at Manhattanville Health Care Center in the Bronx has been charged with rape. The alleged attack took place overnight into Tuesday as the woman was sleeping.
It's not clear if the nurse, identified as Nanic Aidasani, has an attorney. He didn't comment to reporters as he was led from a police station Tuesday.
"I'm heartbroken," said the victim's daughter, who asked only to be identified by her first name, Loida. "I've cried, I don't have tears anymore."
Loida, who learned of the alleged attack through witnesses, says she took her mother to New York Presbyterian Hospital for a rape kit examination. Doctors told her that because her mother cannot speak, they cannot perform an exam without court approval.
"This is very important, this is key evidence," said Loida. "My mother is unable to speak, so by doing this exam, you're going to have the physical evidence of what happened."
"We have 72 hours for them to perform this kit," said the victim's son, Alejandro. "Right now, we're running out of time."
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It was not immediately clear how police first learned of the alleged attack.
Loida and Alejandro say they are their mother's legal guardians. The hospital is not commenting on the case.
The nursing home has not responded to messages.
--Checkey Beckford contributed to this report.
