A New York nurse was arrested for allegedly taking photos of an unconscious patient's penis.
Kristen Johnson reportedly sent text messages with pictures of two passed out patients' penises to co-workers, and was arrested and charged with unlawful surveillance and disseminating unlawful surveillance.
"Despite what certain people seem to think, it is a crime in the state of New York to view, broadcast or record images of another person's intimate body parts, surreptitiously," District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick told WSTM.
Darryl Geddes, the public and media relations director at Upstate University Hospital, issued a statement following the controversy.
"Upstate University Hospital has been working closely with its University Police Department and the Onondaga County District Attorney's Office on an investigation into inappropriate behavior of one of our nurses. Today the investigation has resulted in this individual's arrest on several charges, including unlawful surveillance stemming from taking inappropriate photos with a cell phone of patients in 2014. This individual was suspended immediately when this matter was discovered," the statement read.
"Patients identified in the photos have been contacted by authorities. The privacy of our patients is a fundamental aspect of our care. It is at the core of our relationship with our patients and their loved ones. This individual case is not reflective of the more than 2,000 registered nurses and nursing staff who work around the clock every day at Upstate and are committed to the care and safety of their patients. As nurses, they deliver care to their patients every day with clinical expertise, respect and dignity in every patient interaction."
Johnson ultimately surrendered her license after the arrest. Her arrest followed a nine-month investigation by the District Attorney's office.
"It was wrong and just as criminal as if it had been a man to a woman . It is tragically true Nd biased that a man would have been more harshly punished," one Mad World News reader commented on the site's Facebook page.
"Sick little witch! Tell me she was thinking how she was going to help people when she decided to be a nurse," another added.
In a similar incident, a doctor and nurse in Santa Cruz, California, were arrested for allegedly sexually abusing children.
James Kohut and Rachel Brandon were both charged with counts of child sex abuse, sodomy and oral copulation in the disturbing case, SF Gate reported.
"Dignity Health Dominican Hospital is aware of the allegations and has taken the appropriate steps. In accordance with hospital policy, we cannot comment on personnel matters," a spokesperson for Dominican Hospital said in a statement.
Sources: WSTM, Mad World News/Facebook, SF Gate / Photo credit: AAABBC/Wikimedia Commons, WSTM