Woman in vegetative state for 14 years gives birth - prompting rape investigation

The woman has been in a vegetative state at the Hacienda Healthcare facility (pictured) for over a decade. Source: WFLA
The woman has been in a vegetative state at the Hacienda Healthcare facility (pictured) for over a decade. Source: WFLA

A woman who has been in a vegetative state for 14 years has given birth.

A sex abuse investigation has been launched after the shock pregnancy of an unconscious patient at Hacienda Healthcare in Phoenix, Arizona.

The woman, who went into labour on December 29, has received round-the-clock care after an accident over a decade earlier in which she almost drowned.

Staff at the healthcare clinic were unaware of the pregnancy until labour pains caused the woman to start moaning before the baby was born.

Following the incident, male staff at the facility must be accompanied by a female colleague if entering a female patient’s room.


Officials with Hacienda Healthcare are calling it an unprecedented matter after a report that one of its patients, who’s been in a vegetative state for years, delivered a baby in late December.
Officials with Hacienda Healthcare are calling it an unprecedented matter after a report that one of its patients, who’s been in a vegetative state for years, delivered a baby in late December.

The woman, who is unable to verbally communicate or move and has been immobile for over a decade, would have been unable to fend off a sex attack.

The woman’s baby, who was delivered by a nurse at the facility, is believed to be doing well.

Hacienda HealthCare say they are cooperating with law enforcement investigations into sexual abuse which led to the pregnancy.

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