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Judge dismisses charges against man accused of child rape at Bellingham hospital

Judge dismisses charges against man accused of child rape at Bellingham hospital

PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham Photo: Saga Communications/Dave Walker


BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The man accused of sexually assaulting a child in a hospital bathroom has had his charges dropped.

Court documents state several evaluators found the 37-year-old suspect incompetent to stand trial late last month.

My Bellingham Now previously reported that the suspect was accused of grabbing the child at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center and forcing them into a bathroom twice to assault them in May.

Staff caught him after the second incident and he was taken into custody.

Police reports from his initial arrest show that the suspect didn’t seem to understand why he was being arrested or the seriousness of the allegations against him.

Psychological evaluators later determined that due to a developmental disability, the man likely wouldn’t benefit from competency restoration.

 

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic/sexual violence, call 800-656-HOPE (4673) to reach the National Sexual Assault Hotline.

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