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Staffer at Utah youth hospital accused of forcing sex on 12-year-old former patient

A staff member at a youth behavioral hospital is accused of sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl he met at work.

Gabriel Michael Lima was charged Thursday with first-degree felony sodomy on a child and second-degree felony enticing a minor.

Charging documents allege that the 25-year-old man befriended the 12-year-old girl while she was staying at Provo Canyon Behavioral Hospital, which is licensed as a 16-bed secure facility in Orem.

The girl told police that days after she left the hospital last September, Lima sent her messages on social media, including photos of his genitals and of himself shirtless.

[Read more: A teen from Bermuda died at a Utah treatment center, sparking anger there and investigations here]

They arranged to meet up at a parking lot in Sandy on Sept. 29, and Lima allegedly drove the girl to a nearby park and forced her to perform a sex act.

An arrest warrant has been issued, but Lima has not be arrested as of Thursday morning.

Provo Canyon Behavioral Hospital is one of seven Utah facilities owned by Universal Health Services, a Pennsylvania-based company. The parent company did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.


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