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KINGSTON — A caregiver charged with sexually assaulting a non-verbal, bedridden client of the Community Living Arrangements facility is headed to higher court.

Andrew Dula III, 53, of Shickshinny, appeared before Magisterial District Judge Paul Roberts for a preliminary hearing Monday afternoon. Dula waived a single count of institutional sexual assault to higher court.

Dula allegedly admitted the inappropriate behavior to police during an interview weeks after the incident.

According to the criminal complaint, the alleged abuse stretches back further than an incident in February that sparked a police investigation.

Police were contacted by an employee of the emergency department at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center on Feb. 3 that a woman was being examined for possible sexual assault. Police learned the victim, a 36-year-old woman with severe mental disabilities and spastic cerebral palsy, was a resident of Community Living Arrangements.

Community Living Arrangements is operated by the Institute for Human Resources and Services, a non-profit organization that operates 23 similar facilities throughout Luzerne County. A representative declined to comment when asked if Dula is still employed with the company.

During the course of the investigation, police learned from a staff member of the facility they heard a woman screaming while Dula was changing her diaper at 1 a.m. Feb. 3. Startled by the scream, the staff member investigated and allegedly found the victim not positioned on the bed as she normally would be for the change.

The staff member also told police the woman was naked from the waist down, and Dula was allegedly holding her legs in his arms. The woman began whining and reaching for the staff member while Dula, according to police, removed a clean diaper from the woman and had a new one in his hand.

The staff member also allegedly saw a thumb print bruise on the woman’s right upper thigh.

Police said further investigation revealed Dula “took an usually long time” to tend to the woman’s needs on previous occasions and allegedly spent an excessive amount of time alone in the woman’s bedroom. Dula had also been allegedly advised by residential program workers to not change the woman’s diapers if they were still dry.

Police said prior to the alleged incident on Feb. 3, the victim began to display a change in behavior whenever Dula was near. A worker told police the woman would become “anxious” when Dula arrived and would not sleep well on evenings Dula worked.

In one instance, a worker told police the victim “freaked out” when Dula went into the room when she was receiving her medication, and she allegedly clawed at another worker’s neck.

Police said the victim was examined at the hospital, a sexual assault evidence kit was collected and police were notified.

Dula voluntarily went to police headquarters on Feb. 5 for an interview, during which he allegedly admitted to having inappropriate physical contact with the woman.

Court documents indicate Dula is scheduled for a formal arraignment at 10 a.m. Aug. 11 at the Luzerne County Courthouse. He remains free on $25,000 unsecured bail.

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https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_dula.jpg.optimal.jpg)Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader

By Travis Kellar

[email protected]

Reach Travis Kellar at 570-991-6389 or on Twitter @TLNews