96-year-old woman sexually assaulted at East Chicago nursing home by registered sex offender: attorneys

EAST CHICAGO, Ind. - An investigation is underway at an East Chicago nursing home where a 96-year-old grandmother says she was sexually assaulted by another resident.

The incident allegedly happened at Harbor Health and Rehab located at 5025 McCook Ave.

The suspect in the assault is a 90-year-old man, who is a registered sex offender. 

Attorneys say nursing home staff saw the assault happening and stopped it, but the family is demanding more. 

"What's particularly concerning to us is we don't understand how the facility has never notified any of its residents as we understand it of the existence of a sexual predator amongst them," the family's attorney said.

Harbor Health and Rehab released a statement regarding the incident. 

"Resident and staff safety is our top priority, and our organization follows local and state regulations. We promptly reported the incident to state and local authorities in full compliance with Indiana regulations, initiating a comprehensive investigation. To respect our residents' privacy, we are unable to provide additional information without compromising the confidentiality of individual residents.

Our commitment to providing residents with a safe and secure environment remains unwavering. We are working diligently with the state, and our staff continues to focus on maintaining quality standards of care."