‘They must change': Seattle woman, brother speak after hidden camera nursing home rape arrest

SEATTLE — KIRO 7 first told you earlier this month that prosecutors had charged 29-year-old nursing assistant, Nshimiyiana Hamzat, with second-degree rape after they said he was captured on hidden camera repeatedly raping a disabled patient in his care at Foss Home and Village in North Seattle.

Hamzat is currently booked in the King County Jail.

Charging papers say the hidden camera was disguised as a phone charger and placed in the room at Foss Home and Village nursing home, unbeknownst to the victim by her brother, who she had told about the alleged sexual abuse after initially suffering in silence.

That woman and her brother, whose identities we're concealing given the allegations, are now sharing their stories for the first time with KIRO 7 in hopes of creating change at the nursing home that KIRO 7 recently learned is tied to another Seattle police investigation involving the reported sexual assault of a 93-year-old woman.

They also shared screenshots of the video they said was turned over to Seattle police that led to the rape charges.

"I asked him, what are you doing to me? He said back to me, ‘I'm trying to help you, I'm trying to clean you'," said the victim in an interview with KIRO 7. "It was really terrible."

The woman said she did not immediately tell her family about the abuse and felt going to management at Foss Home and Village wouldn't help.

"I was feeling that nobody would help me," she said. "I think that that guy should stay forever in jail."

The woman's brother said after his sister confided in family about the abuse, he bought the camera disguised as a phone charger and placed it in her room, without her knowledge. He said the plan made him nervous.

"I don't know what he thinking," said her brother. "But if he find that, I think he'll do something bad to her."

He said the video recorded from her room made him lose his appetite. Charging papers say "he camera captured the defendant sexually assaulting her twice a day, on two different days."

"I was at the same time happy, because I catch him, but I'm going sick – I can't eat nothing," he said.

Charging papers say Seattle police arrested Hamzat in Bothell, at the Rose Garden Adult Family Home, that the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services told us Hamzat owns.
DSHS said earlier this month that operations there, unrelated to Foss Home and Village, had been suspended pending the outcome of an investigation that could lead to the license being revoked.

Four residents there, who investigators said they had "high concern for," were relocated.

The victim's brother said he wants transparency and action from Foss Home and Village.

"They must change something," he said.

Leadership at Foss Home and Village has denied KIRO 7 requests for on-camera interviews but previously said Hamzat has been suspended and released this statement:

"Protecting our residents is a top priority and immediate action was taken in response to this allegation.
"An extensive investigation is in process and we are working closely with authorities and regulators. 
"As part of the hiring process, all employees have criminal background checks, reference checks and license checks before hire.
"The care and safety of our residents will continue to be our highest priority."
KIRO 7 went to Hamzat's listed home address, across the street from Foss Home and Village on Greenwood Avenue, and a woman who answered the outside call box would not speak to us in an interview.

"I'm going to talk to my attorney about it," she said.

Seattle police would not clarify whether Hamzat is connected to the current sexual assault investigation reportedly involving the 93-year-old woman at Foss Home and Village but the nursing home previously said in response to the initial claims against Hamzat, "We have no other allegations involving the employee referenced."

DSHS says reports of adult abuse throughout the state, including vulnerable adults who are not in facilities, have tripled in a six-year span. Sexual abuse accounts for 3% of reports and financial exploitation is the most common, DSHS said.

Signs of abuse include:
•    Suspicious or unexplained bruises, sores or weight loss.
•    A sudden change in personality.
•    Neglect of hygiene, clothing, home, medicine or food.
•    Personal belongings are missing.
•    Verbal aggression.
•    No longer attending social functions or regular activities.
•    Losing contact with family and friends, being isolated from loved ones.

Beyond reporting incidents to police, people can report concerns to DSHS: 1-800-562-6078.

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