A former security guard in a Phoenix hospital was taken into custody on Tuesday for purportedly sexually assaulting the corpse of a deceased woman.
Randall Bird, 46, was accused of assaulting the lifeless body of a 79-year-old woman back in October at the morgue of Banner University Medical Center.
According to CBS 5, security personnel often transfer deceased bodies to the morgue; however, they are forbidden from unzipping body bags.
Court documents revealed by the news outlet detailed that Bird was discovered with his belt removed and his zipper down by the corpse.
Witnesses claimed that he seemed excessively sweaty and displayed signs of nervousness. The body bag the woman’s body was in was found unzipped, and Bird’s belt was located on the gurney transporting the corpse.
Bird allegedly attempted to rationalize the situation by attributing his actions to a medical episode, which caused him to faint and open the body bag by accident.
However, his explanation reportedly contradicted the evidence collected at the scene. Forensic evidence obtained from the incident apparently confirmed the presence of Bird’s DNA on the victim, which led to his subsequent arrest, ABC 15 confirmed.
Bird is now facing multiple charges, including several counts of crimes against a deceased individual, as well as a class 4 felony.
In response to the incident, Banner Health issued a statement expressing their sadness and shock regarding the alleged actions of an employee at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix, resulting in the person’s arrest on November 28, 2023.
The health organization stated that they initiated an internal investigation, reported the concerning behavior observed in the hospital morgue to law enforcement, and terminated the employee.
“Banner Health has and remains committed to high standards that require each of our team members to treat everyone, at every stage of life, with compassion, dignity, and respect,” the statement concluded.
“We are grateful for the work of the Phoenix Police Department in the investigation and handling of this matter, and we will continue to cooperate with law enforcement.”
