Former St. Peter employee suspected of having sex with minor patient
A former certified nursing assistant for Providence St. Peter Hospital was arrested after she allegedly had sex with a 15-year-old former patient.
Stefani H. Martin, 25, turned herself in to Olympia police Tuesday, and was being held in the Thurston County Jail. She appeared before Thurston County Superior Court Judge Erik Price on Wednesday.
Price set bail at $7,500 and found probable cause for three counts of third-degree child rape and one count of third-degree child molestation.
Deputy Prosecutor Carol La Verne said the 15-year-old boy had been involuntarily committed at Providence St. Peter Hospital when he and Martin met. According to court documents, Martin and the victim rented a room together April 13 and engaged in sex acts.
Martin worked at the hospital for about a year, but hasn’t worked there since the allegations were made, according to court documents.
At Wednesday’s hearing, La Verne asked bail be set at $10,000 and Martin be prohibited from having contact with her two children.
“For the moment, those children are considered to be witnesses,” La Verne said.
Martin’s attorney, Richard Woodrow, disagreed with La Verne’s recommendation. He said that there was nothing in court documents about the children being witnesses, and that they likely wouldn’t make good witnesses because of their young age.
“I don’t see a need to impose a no-contact order with her own children,” Woodrow said. “... I’m not sure if they’re even competent or have the capacity to be witnesses.”
Woodrow said his client had been compliant with police and had no criminal history. He asked that bail be set at $5,000.
Price said he believed that Martin could be a danger to the community and set bail at $7,500. He said Woodrow’s argument had persuaded him and ordered that Martin have no contact with minors besides her own children.
Amelia Dickson: 360-754-5445, @Amelia_Oly
This story was originally published May 4, 2016 at 4:15 PM with the headline "Former St. Peter employee suspected of having sex with minor patient."