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Carbondale nursing home resident accused of abusing mentally disabled woman

Times-Tribune - 2/26/2019

Feb. 26-- Feb. 26--A resident of a Carbondale nursing home is charged with multiple counts of indecent assault after police accused him of abusing a female resident with mental disabilities.

Michael Karzenowski, 62, 45 N. Scott St., was arrested Saturday by city police after they responded to a call at Creekside Nursing Home, Carbondale, for reports of a sexual assault, police said.

A nursing supervisor told police that several witnesses claimed they saw Karzenowski groping a female patient in the activities room, according to the affidavit.

The Times-Tribune does not identify victims of sexual assault.

The victim is unable to speak, wheelchair-bound from her medical condition and would have no way of giving consent, the supervisor told police.

The supervisor then brought Karzenowski into the room to speak with police.

"All I did was a little of this," Karzenowski told police, squeezing his own chest, officials said.

The police told Karzenowski that was wrong to do.

"I know, but I don't have a girl anymore," Karzenowski said. "I used to have a girlfriend."

Both a nurse and a kitchen staff member told police they saw Karzenowski groping the victim while his hand was in his pants. While doing so, Karzenowski allegedly kept an eye on nursing home employees while they were having a cigarette. Once he was spotted by the kitchen staff employee, he stopped, and the employee went to get a nurse or supervisor, police said.

Karzenowski was arraigned Sunday and, in lieu of bail, remains in Lackawanna County Prison.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. on March 4.

Contact the writer: drosler@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100, x. 5365; droslerTT on Twitter

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