Former Ottawa Hospital personal support worker charged with sexual assault
A former personal support worker at the Ottawa Hospital is facing a charge of sexual assault.
Ottawa police say the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Unit charged a man following an investigation into an alleged sexual assault that happened overnight between April 1 and 2.
"The accused was working as a personal support worker when he allegedly committed sexual assault against a vulnerable woman that was receiving care at the Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus," said Ottawa police in a statement.
Erwin Blanco, 44, of Ottawa is charged with one count of sexual assault.
Police say Blanco worked as a PSW at the Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus, General Campus and Riverside Campus from September 2020 to April 2021.
Investigators believe there could be other victims.
Police say Blanco is known to use the alias of Slater Mercado on social media.
"The Ottawa Hospital takes these allegations seriously. Ensuring the safety and security of our staff and patients is the hospital’s top priority," said the Ottawa Hospital in a statement to CTV News Ottawa.
"The Ottawa Hospital is working closely with Ottawa Police Service in its investigation and encourages anyone with further information to contact OPS."
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ottawa Police Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Unit at 613-236-1222, ext. 5944.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'