Woman gave birth after several years in vegetative state

Police in the us state of Arizona have initiated the investigation of a possible rape, after a birth that initially seemed incomprehensible.

The staff at a nursing home outside the big city of Phoenix to have understood little, when a female patient, who has been in vegetative state for several years, gave birth to a child.

Norwegian Helseinformatikk (NHI) defines the vegetative state as "a condition in a patient with severe brain injury, where the patient has woken up from a coma, but does not show signs of awareness of themselves or the environment".

CNN writes that the woman has been in this state for 14 years, while the BBC writes "over a decade".

"Deeply disturbing"

Hacienda Healthcare, which operates the current nursing home has not contributed with any further details, but says in a comment that they are familiar with a "deeply disturbing incident involving the health and safety of one of our patients", according to the BBC.

They say, moreover, that they cooperate fully with authorities in this matter.

We are committed to find the truth in it - as for us - is a very special process, " says spokesman David Leibowitz, according to the channel.

Will examine the

the State's health commission says in a statement that they have sent inspectors to the appropriate clinic to examine conditions, and that they have implemented increased security measures.

We are familiar with the situation, and working actively together with the local police in the ongoing investigation, says the health ministry in a statement to CNN.

A spokesperson for the police in Phoenix confirms according to the british rikskringkasteren that the case is under investigation, but did not want to tell when the investigation was initiated - nor to give any further details.

Birth

the Woman has been in a so-called vegetative state, in which she is awake, but not self-conscious, since she almost drowned many years ago, writes the Washington Post. She was depending on the nursing around the clock, and the wonder was great when she got fødselsrier in christmas in.

the Birth should have taken place on the 29. December last year, according to KPHO-TV.

I have been told that she began to moan, without that the carers knew what bothered her. It was one of the nurses there, and from what I'm been told, it was she who took the baby, " says an anonymous source to a TV station, which is affiliated with CBS.

as far As I know, is the baby alive and fresh, " says the source.

Fears more victims

No one is apprehended, and it is unknown whether police have any suspects in the case. It is also not clear whether the woman has any relatives or a guardian who can speak her case.

A group working against sexual abuse and intimate partner violence, the fear that there may be more victims.

- In abuse cases, it is not rare that there are more victims of the same perpetrator. Many abusers are looking also for situations where people are isolated or vulnerable, says a spokesperson Tasha Menaker. She also points out that people with disabilities are three times as vulnerable to sexual violence.

there is an infant involved, so I would think the first place to start is to take a DNA sample of the child, " says Menaker.

Hacienda Healthcare is a privately owned company, who offer a different type of assistance to around 2,500 people each year, according to the company's website. A majority of the patients are children, youth, and young adults.

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