Former nurse convicted of raping patient in Independence hospital bed

An Overland Park man was convicted Wednesday of raping a medicated patient in her hospital bed while working as a nurse at Centerpoint Medical Center in Independence.

Chukwuemeka U. Emmanuel, 37, was found guilty of first-degree rape by Jackson County Judge Jennifer Phillips following a bench trial. He was criminally charged in June 2019 after a woman reported that Emmanuel raped her after she asked him for help.

According to court records, police were called to the hospital on the morning of June 16, 2019 after receiving a report of a sexual assault made by a woman receiving medical care in the hospital. She told an officer that the assault happened the night before, shortly before midnight, after she asked Emmanuel to clean her because her catheter was leaking.

At that point, Emmanuel allegedly pulled down his pants and raped her.

The victim told police she was frightened and had asked Emmanuel to stop. He allegedly replied “no it’s okay we won’t get caught,” an investigator wrote in court documents.

A supervisor with the hospital told investigators the patient was being treated with morphine and other narcotics to help manage pain. Emmanuel was employed there as a “float nurse” hired through an outside agency.

Another hospital employee interviewed by police was in a relationship with Emmanuel at the time. She told officers Emmanuel had possibly fled to New York or Nigeria. He was apprehended and has since been held in Jackson County Jail.

Emmanuel was fired from the hospital following the accusations, The Star previously reported. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 27.