A Bronx nurse who was allegedly assaulted by an illegal immigrant with a history of assaulting female health care workers blamed the Big Apple’s “de-crime” laws for her attack.
chelsea mora told Fox News On January 13, as she was trying to take her vitals at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, she was punched by Edward Johnson, 57, who allegedly entered the United States illegally from the Caribbean more than a decade ago.
Johnson has been arrested 23 times and is suspected of assaulting hospital staff in at least four incidents since 2019, according to sources and records.
About four months before he was accused of punching Maura in the face, Johnson assaulted Colleen Leahy, an emergency room doctor at St. Barnabas Hospital.
Leahy told police he assaulted her in September last year and again in July 2022.
Mora, 26, said he should never have let his attacker escape onto the street.
“This gentleman has over 20 unsolved cases and is abusing and assaulting people on the street,” she said.
Had he been arrested and detained after the September 18 assault, Mora would not have become his latest victim.
She said she suffered a corneal hematoma and developed PTSD from the assault.
“We wake up every morning or night and work 12- to 16-hour shifts to help the most vulnerable in society and help sick patients in underserved communities. But we are being abused,” Mora told Fox News.
She said abuse was often blamed on mental health disorders and was often ignored.
“If these people are actually mentally ill and can’t get back on the streets, then they need to be institutionalized,” the nurse said.
Following the alleged assault on Mora, Johnson, who has 42 additional arrests in the United States, was arrested and charged with assault, but was released on supervised release two days later.
Authorities later announced that he was now a fugitive after failing to comply with the terms of his supervised release.
A warrant for his arrest was issued last month, and the case is now being referred to a grand jury to secure charges against him.
Mora said she was disappointed to hear he was being ejected again.
“It appears to be a serious problem in New York City right now,” Mora told Fox. “I don’t think the crime mitigation laws that are currently in place are helping us as much as New Yorkers. [and] They are not helping medical staff deal with these types of criminals. ”
She added that she was “disappointed” to learn that her attacker was in the country illegally and “had so many chances.”
“Every time he goes to the hospital, he hits the nurses and doctors,” an NYPD source previously told the Post.
Dr Leahy, 28, said he has been scared every day at work since Mr Johnson attacked him twice.
“It’s upsetting that he continues to do this to healthcare workers, especially women, and then get fired,” Leahy said. “They have detained him so many times, so why would he be released to attack other people and other health workers?”
