Serial rapist caught working at nursing home

There is an article in an Ohio newspaper that discusses an alleged rape of a male resident at a nursing home.

After visiting her fiancé Saturday night at Concord Care and Rehabilitation Center, Linda Monegan knew something was wrong.  Unable to talk or see after suffering a stroke, her 55-year-old fiance nodded his head to signify he was in pain. He had been sexually assaulted by a nurse.

Concord Care night-shift nurse John R. Riems, 49, 100 block of W. Cedarwood, was arrested Monday on felony charges of rape and gross sexual imposition. During questioning Riems recalled abusing nearly 100 patients during his more than 20-year career.  Riems, who obtained his registered nursing license in 1985 through Providence Hospital’s nursing school, has worked at several nursing homes.

Concord Care director Jessica Short refused to answer any questions. Instead, she handed over a four-sentence typed statement, closed her office door and called police. The statement indicated an employee accused of “inappropriately touching” a resident was fired.

After she told police about the incident, Monegan said she was ordered by a nurse not to return to Concord Care, and now fears for her beloved’s life.

Many of Reims’ victims were elderly or disabled and unable to report the abuse.

The family is calling for justice to be served not only on Riems, but the entire nursing staff, who they say are responsible for patient neglect.   Besides the sexual abuse, Monegan said her fiancé suffered from burns to his legs, dehydration, bed sores and an unkempt trachea tube while staying at Concord Care since October 2007.

“What if that was your family member?” Monegan said. “What if that was your loved one?”