An employee of Highland Rivers Health -- a facility which treats patients with mental illness, addiction or developmental and intellectual disabilities -- was fired Wednesday after being charged with sexual assault of a patient by the Dalton Police Department.
This comes after Patrick Collins Nix was placed on unpaid administrative leave after he allegedly raped a female patient early in the morning of Aug. 8.
Patrick Collins Nix"Mr. Nix was terminated from Highland Rivers Health effective today," said Andy Derryberry of Derryberry Public Relations who represents Highland Rivers Health. "The termination resulted from a violation of the therapeutic boundary policy."
Officers spoke with the victim the morning after the alleged incident took place, according to a police report. When the two officers arrived at the scene, they said the victim was "was crying, her body was shaking and she appeared to cower in her chair," while recounting the events of the previous night.
The victim, who has not been identified, said at 11:15 p.m. the previous night, Nix called her into an office where he began asking personal questions that made her feel "uncomfortable," the report said. The victim went to her room and Nix did an initial bed check. That's when Nix told her he was a sex addict, the report said.
Later in the night, Nix came back into the victim's room and awoke her by kissing her on the mouth. Then, Nix raped her, the report said.
After recounting the events of the previous night, the victim asked officers to take her to the hospital where she received a rape kit. Police also took her clothes and bed sheets into evidence. Officers also reviewed video surveillance which showed Nix coming in and out of the room at the times that matched the victim's testimony.
Dalton Police spokesman Bruce Frazier said "it's certainly possible" that Nix will be charged with more in the future, but right now he is only being charged with sexual assault by employee of a healthcare facility.
Nix is being held at the Whitfield County, Ga., jail. His first appearance in court was Tuesday, an official from the jail said, and bond was denied.