- A Pleasant Grove man was charged Thursday with sexually abusing a disabled patient.
- Fatai Lie Akerei Amotai also faces a charge of abuse of a vulnerable adult.
- Utah State Developmental Center terminated his employment and reported the incident.
AMERICAN FORK — An employee at a Utah County facility that provides services for "Utah's most vulnerable people with disabilities" is accused of abusing one of the patients.
Fatai Lie Akerei Amotai, 23, of Pleasant Grove, was charged Thursday in 4th District Court with forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony, and abuse of a vulnerable adult, a class A misdemeanor.
Amotai inappropriately touched a woman in August "during (his) employment at the Utah State Development Center where (the woman) is a resident due to her intellectual disability," according to charging documents. "During this incident, (Amotai) told (the woman) that he wanted to date her."
On another occasion, other staff members "observed (Amotai) with his hand on (the woman's) leg and rubbing it 'weirdly,'" the charges state.
Amotai denied ever touching the woman when questioned by investigators.
According to their website, the Utah State Developmental Center provides "an effective and efficient array of critical services and supports that promote independence and quality of life for Utah's most vulnerable people with disabilities."
A spokeswoman with the state Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the center, said Amotai "was employed as a direct support professional" for a little over two months, with his employment ending about five days after the alleged August incident.
"Utah State Development Center has a no-tolerance policy for any kind of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of the people we serve. As soon as USDC became aware of an allegation of inappropriate conduct by this employee, we immediately terminated the person's employment and contacted American Fork police and Adult Protective Services. An important part of our mission is to protect and care for individuals in our facilities. Our staff are in positions of great trust as they watch out for the well-being of our clients. Allegations of this type are a direct violation of that trust and the exact opposite of the care and protection we expect our employees to provide our clients," the department said.
The department also says all employees must pass "an extensive background check and undergo mandatory training" before being allowed to have interaction with patients.
