Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Mental Health Worker accused of lewd behavior

From the Saint Petersburg Times:

A residential aide at Pinellas Emergency Mental Health Services has been charged with two counts of lewd and lascivious exhibition in front of children under 16.

Marissa Rodriguez, 42, was accused of exposing herself twice to a group of juvenile girls at the facility, where she worked as a temporary employee.

The incidents happened Friday and again Sunday, according to an arrest affidavit.

In Friday's incident, Rodriguez showed a nipple piercing to several girls and "told them afterward not to tell any of the other staff," according to an arrest report.

On Sunday, Rodriguez confronted some of the patients because they had told staff members in a group session, and, in front of another staff member and juveniles, exposed her right breast, police said.

Police said they learned of the incidents when they went to the facility at 1614 Palm Way in Largo regarding an allegation of abuse. That complaint was found to be unfounded, but in the course of investigating it, they learned of the incidents involving Rodriguez, police said.

Rodriguez, of Gulfport, is being held in the Pinellas County Jail in lieu of $20,000 bail.

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