Friday, 25 Jan, 2008 Offbeat

A longterm Ohio nurse was accused of sexually assaulting as many as 24 patients, including a 55-year old paralyzed man at a nursing home.

John R. Riems, a 49 year old man, who was working as a night-shift nurse since 1985 is suspected of abusing nearly 100 patients. Many of the victims at Concord Care and Rehabilitation Center could not report the abuse due to their disability and many had died.

The man who is now held in the Erie County jail pleaded not guilty to the charges of sexual abuse. The director of the nursing home, were Riems worked, announced that the man was already fired.

Police is conducting the investigation and searched his home for evidence, the The Sandusky (Ohio) Register paper said. The details are not uncovered to protect the privacy of the residents at the nursing home.

Riems and his wife were also serving in the Sandusky chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters. Amy Poldan, the executive director of this organization expressed her sympathy to all the victims and said that she and other members were shocked with the news.

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