Police reports show adult and minor patients at Highland Ridge Hospital in Midvale being assaulted or sexually assaulted every year since 2019.
This story is part three of a three-part series, FOX 13 Investigates: “The Rape Hospital.” To watch the first installment, click HERE; for the second, click HERE.
Several employees have told FOX 13 News and police that they have been told to refrain from reporting abuse or neglect to preserve the facility’s reputation. They now believe Highland Ridge Hospital is a “lost cause” that should be shut down. “There’s no way I can tell you exactly why things like this continue to happen,” responded Joe Dougherty, a spokesperson for DHHS. “It’s unacceptable though.”“These are things we will take a hard look at,” Dougherty said. “If someone suspects that a crime is being committed in their facility, whether it’s a patient, or whether it is a staff member, absolutely they have a duty to report it.
Employees like Emily Rose say that doesn’t actually happen. She worked as a behavioral health technician and left in 2020. Highland Ridge Hospital CEO stated “he doesn’t have enough staff to keep everybody safe,” according to a Utah Attorney General’s Office report.“If they can’t change their number of employees, what you’re saying is they need to change their number of patients?” asked FOX 13 News investigative reporter Adam Herbets.In an email to FOX 13 News, Hess wrote he’s implemented “advanced technologies” to monitor patients, but he declined to clarify what that means.