San Antonio, Texas - Man Arrested For Attempting to Sexually Assault Child at Behavioral Healthcare Hospital

Man Detained For Mental Health Problems Arrested For Child Sexual Assault

Police in San Antonio arrested a 33-year-old man who was detained for mental health issues after he allegedly tried to sexually assault a child at the San Antonio Behavioral Healthcare Hospital. An arrest warrant affidavit says that Maximino Manuel Reyes walked into a video-recorded waiting room at the hospital where a 13-year-old girl was waiting and attempted to assault her.

Police say that Reyes then left the room, but returned soon after and exposed himself before attempting to assault her a second time. Reyes then left the waiting room and the victim was discovered in a corner by hospital staff, according to police.

According to the affidavit, the victim told police what happened and video cameras recorded Reyes attempting to assault the girl. Reyes has been charged with attempted aggravated sexual assault of a child.

Legal Recourse For Victims of Sexual Assault in Healthcare Facilities

Anjali Nigam is an attorney who represents the survivors of sexual violence in civil lawsuits. We've asked him to add some thoughts on the legal options available to those who have been sexually assaulted in hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities:

For obvious reasons, it's important for healthcare facilities to be free of preventable dangers that could result in harm to patients or staff. These facilities treat patients from all walks of life, and sometimes, this includes sexual predators and other violent criminals. Security needs to be of utmost importance in these facilities in order to make sure all patients are safe from the risk of violent crimes and sexual assaults.

When one patient manages to sexually assault another, it's important to ask if the facility did enough to prevent the assault. In some cases, inadequate security at the facility is partially to blame for a crime of sexual violence. When this happens, the victim may have grounds for a lawsuit against the healthcare facility.

Taking legal action against healthcare facilities helps provide victims with the financial support they need and also helps to keep other patients safe by forcing these facilities to reevaluate their safety and security standards. If you or a loved one has been sexually assaulted at a healthcare facility and you're curious about your legal options, you can learn more by speaking with an experienced sexual assault victims lawyer.