Lawsuit: UCLA Gynecologist Molested Mother of Four During IUD Appointment
LEGAL TROUBLE
A mother of four has accused UCLA gynecological doctor Dr. James Heaps of sexual battery for a 2017 incident in which she alleges he groped her and touched her in a “sexual” manner. According to a lawsuit filed Wednesday against Heaps and UCLA, the woman—who chose to remain anonymous—claims Dr. Heaps committed a “gross violation of the trust between physician and patient” by molesting her during a routine appointment in June 2017. While removing her IUD, the woman claims Heaps sexually touched her genitals, made “inappropriate verbal comments” regarding the procedure’s “sexual nature,” and grabbed her “breast and buttock.” A female nurse was allegedly present during the abuse, but she did “nothing to stop it or report it” after it happened. The lawsuit also claims misconduct and abuse complaints about Heaps were made in 2014 and 2015, but he was still permitted to keep seeing patients. “It took Jane Doe many months to be able process what she alleges happened to her and speak to anyone about the incident,” the woman’s attorneys said in a press release. Heaps was charged with sexual battery and exploitation after turning himself into police earlier this month. According to the Los Angeles Times, Heaps pleaded not guilty.