A Minnesota caregiver is facing criminal charges for allegedly sexually abusing and impregnating a 37-year-old patient with brain damage.
KSTP reported that the victim became disabled in 2014 after suffering a stroke and was staying at a group home for vulnerable adults in St. Anthony. It was there where she reportedly came into contact with Divine Nde Momuluh, 39, who worked as a supervisor at the group home.
Court documents obtained by the news station described the woman as being “very sharp and quick-witted” but having difficulty “reasoning and having [the] forethought of the implications of her decisions.” She reportedly told investigators that she got pregnant in February and accused Momuluh of coming onto her, describing how he would come into her room during overnight duty and assault her.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that the patient estimated the then-caregiver abused her 10 times, including incidents that occurred in the bathroom and basement. She said the encounters ended when Momuluh stopped working at the group home, though she couldn’t recall the exact date, according to Meaww.
“The [victim] said that ‘sometimes’ she told [Momuluh] that she did not want to have sexual contact but [he] ‘talked me into doing it with him,’” a report by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) stated.
Momuluh allegedly threatened the patient and told her to lie about her pregnancy because he didn’t want to go to jail or have his children visit him in jail. DHS accused Momuluh of offering the woman $700 and instructing someone he knew to put the money into the group home’s mailbox, according to the Tribune.
State investigators revealed that the woman had an abortion in April due to medical concerns. Before that, Momuluh reportedly took her to Planned Parenthood to have the procedure but, for undisclosed reasons, it was unsuccessful.
The agency has since barred Momuluh from having any position where he’s to have contact with people receiving services administered by state-licensed programs. The newspaper reported that the woman has moved to another facility that’s equipped with round-the-clock supervision.
Momuluh was charged with criminal sexual abuse by a caregiver of a vulnerable adult. He faces up to a year in prison and a $3,000 fine.
[Featured image: Divine Nde Momuluh/Minnesota Department of Corrections]
