Personal Injury Law

Rape Victim in Rhea County at the Life Care Center Nursing Home

When we turn on the news or read the newspaper, it is unfortunate when we hear about the crimes that happen daily to people all across the country. It is even more unfortunate and scary when we hear about people being physically and sexually abused right here in Tennessee. This rape victim case is no exception.

A spring County man, Zephenia Nakia Cooper, was charged with rape Monday, May 10, 2010, after he allegedly went into the Life Care Center nursing home in Rhea County and raped a patient in her late 80s. Dayton police were able to catch him an hour after receiving the call at 5:40 that morning and he was charged with rape later that same day.

Executive Director Kate Swafford of the Life Center in Rhea County said later that, ?an unknown male entered our facility around 5 a.m. and entered a female resident's room. As the man left the facility, associates quickly called the police, who took him into custody." She also stated that, ?We are fully cooperating with the police investigation, and we will vigorously assist the police in the investigation and prosecution of this case?.

The police and the nursing home are now investigating how someone could have gotten into the center at that hour. Copper, has been in jail thirty-three times in recent years for public intoxication, theft, and drug possession. He is being held in the Rhea County jail without any bond. The rape victim has been treated and released from the Rhea County Medical Center.

This case may make many of the residents of Tennessee and people across the country sad and angry about the kind of crimes that happen every day. It is important to ask questions in a case like this as to whether on not this could have been prevented? Hopefully a thorough investigation can develop answers as to how to prevent such a tragic event from happening in the future.

Full post as published by Tennessee Law Blog on May 14, 2010 (boomark / email).