Timberlawn Had History of Sexual Assault Reports Before 13-year-old's Case Surfaced

As Dallas police investigate a 13-year-old girl’s report that she was raped at Timberlawn, the psychiatric hospital is fighting a lawsuit from a woman who said she was sexually assaulted there under similar circumstances in 2015.Like the girl, the woman says that a fellow patient entered her hospital room and raped her. She filed her lawsuit in Dallas County in March.In addition, at least three other female patients have complained to police or Timberlawn staff about unwanted sexual contact since 2014, The Dallas Morning News has found.The allegations raise new questions about a hospital already under scrutiny. After a Timberlawn patient who warned she felt suicidal hanged herself with a torn bedsheet in 2014, inspectors uncovered multiple safety violations. The next year, federal officials cut off the hospital’s funding and the state moved to shut it down.Timberlawn says it has made many improvements since 2015, allowing it to re-qualify for federal funding last year. It remains on probation with state hospital regulators.  Continue reading...