Two former employees of a Pennsylvania hospital are being accused of a major invasion of privacy by taking nude pictures of patients.
Peter Castellano, 36 and 36-year-old Melissa Tompkins were charged with invasion of privacy and criminal use of a communication facility, according to court documents, WTAE reports.
At issue, Castellano and Tompkins shared pictures via cell phone as well as audio recordings and still pictures. There were several different patients whose pictures were taken and they had varying degrees of nakedness, the outlet reports.
Tompkins’ attorney claims that even though things look bad, she wants to clear her name.
“She’s disappointed, but in some sense, she’s looking forward to hopefully clearing her name,” Casey White, her attorney claimed.
In fact, Tompkins blamed the nude pictures on her co-worker saying she took her phone and snapped them.
“Her coworker was involved in horseplay, and unfortunately, that horseplay caused her to be criminally charged and there’s no obvious evidence to suggest that she took the pictures,” White suggested.
A detective confronted Tomkins about one photo of an older man with his genitals exposed, taken on her phone. She blamed it on her coworker, he asked about another picture.
“It looks bad, and it looks like I sent it,” she admitted.
However, her attorney says she did not have the phone.
“She is disappointed in the actions of others, certainly,” White said.
Castellano has denied any wrongdoing as well. Another worker reported the incident. Everyone who was involved has reportedly been terminated.
Both have turned themselves in and bail was set at $45, 000.
#Clique, what if you visited your granny and found out she was posted up on the gram’ half-naked. How would you handle this situation?” White said.