Image of male nurse pushing senior woman in a wheelchair in nursing facility

A Washington nursing home is being sued following allegations a resident sexually abused other residents with dementia in January.

The Cashmere Convalescent Center in Cashmere, which is two hours east of Seattle, was accused Tuesday for failure to prevent sexual abuse of patients in the dementia ward.  Reportedly the nursing home allowed one person into the ward to sexually abuse multiple residents, according to state investigators. A nursing supervisor told authorities that “the abuser had rights to pleasure that could not be denied,” according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit was filed by one of the victims’ families. Bill Dronan, the owner of Cashmere, is being investigated by the Nursing Home Administrators board, according to court documents. The center faces $6,000 in fines, and are required to rewrite their policies and provide more training for nurses.

The alleged abuser has been moved to a hospital in Wenatchee, WA, according to local reports.