Central Regional worker accused of assaulting young patient

Butner, N.C. — An employee of Central Regional Hospital faces charges he assaulted a youth at the psychiatric facility, police said Monday.

A Granville County magistrate issued warrants for Hilbert Reddick, 51, of Durham, on charges of assault of a child under 12 and assault on a handicapped person. The warrants were sent to Durham for officers to arrest Reddick, but he wasn't in custody as of Monday afternoon.

The charges stem from an alleged assault on Feb. 8 at the hospital's John Umstead campus, which is where adolescent patients are treated. No other details were immediately available.

Department of Health and Human Services officials investigated the allegations and found them to be unsubstantiated, spokesman Brad Deen said. Federal investigators and Butner police also found no wrongdoing, he said.

Warrants were issued after the patient's mother pressed her case with the Granville County District Attorney's Office.

Reddick has worked at Central Regional since February 2006. He was placed on investigatory leave with pay on Monday morning, which is standard procedure when employees have been accused of wrongdoing, Deen said.

Federal investigators discovered this month that another Central Regional employee assaulted a patient and that other issues were not in compliance. As a result, the hospital was in jeopardy of losing federal funding.

Hospital officials said Friday that inspectors were satisfied that the hospital's safeguards and policies were in compliance.

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Latest Comments

thank you sceeter for the only sensible post on this article.

ShareTheRoad
February 23, 2009 9:48 p.m.

Sounds suspicious. Federal investigators, Butner police, and DSS have all looked into it and found it unsubstantiated. Even if this guy is arrested, he's got DSS, the feds, and his job all backing him up in court. Looks like his defense team will not have to work very hard to win the case.

Mom is still pushing the issue. Maybe she's trying file a lawsuit.

lockinlady
February 23, 2009 9:37 p.m.

The civil attorney that she contacted probably told her she'd stand a much better chance of winning a cash award if there were criminal charges.

commonsensical
February 23, 2009 9:33 p.m.

Just because a child is in a psychiatric hospital doesn't equate to the child being dangerous. Yes, a lot of the children who are there have conduct disorders and anger management issues but so do a lot of adults considered "normal" in society... they just aren't committed to an institution.

There are a great number of these kids who have lived through horrendous abuse & trauma by their so called adults and as a result are as they are. A lot of them are horrendously depressed and suicidal and are hospitalized.

Point is: No one deserves to be abused or neglected when placed in a medical facility for help irregardless of why they are hospitalized. This employee was cleared by all concerned, it seems. The child's parent is the one pushing the case through and he/she has the right to do so.

Just because a individual is in a psych hospital doesn't make that individual worth any less when it comes to abuse or neglect.

sceeter
February 23, 2009 6:43 p.m.

I worked in the juvenile justice system for ten years,and one fact became very clear.The age of the person makes them no less dangerous.The fact the juvenile was in a "MENTAL HOSPITAL" is not even relevant.Let's have all the facts before the employee is convicted.

smokeycurrin
February 23, 2009 6:06 p.m.