Jophany Raphael, 26, of Philadelphia.
A Philadelphia man has been sentenced to probation after pleading guilty to assaulting a non-verbal patient at a behavioral health facility in New Britain Borough.
As part of a plea agreement with Bucks County prosecutors, 26-year-old Jophany Raphael was sentenced to two years’ probation after pleading guilty to one misdemeanor count of simple assault. Additional charges of neglect of a care-dependent person, strikes/shoves/kicks/threatens care-dependent person, and harassment. Were dropped in exchange for his plea.
Sentencing notes indicate that Raphael is prohibited from having contact with the victim, and supervision is being transferred to Philadelphia. Raphael’s probation period can become non-reporting after one year so long as he pays his fines and court costs in full and avoids violating his probation, court records show.
Central Bucks Regional Police were dispatched to the 800 block of East Butler Avenue on June 28, 2022, for a report of an assault of a patient. Authorities described the victim as an 18-year-old non-verbal patient suffering from myriad intellectual and mental health disorders.
According to charging documents, the victim was in an agitated state and tried to strike several staffers. The complaint states staff first attempted to allow the victim to “pace off” his anger, however after the victim again attempted to strike staff, Raphael attempted to place the victim in a “primary restraint technique” but the victim threw himself on the floor.
Staff again attempted to allow the victim to “pace off” his anger, which led to the victim walking into his room, the report states. Raphael then allegedly followed the victim into his room, threw him onto the ground, and began kicking him in the head, chest and stomach.
The victim was then removed from the room by facility staffers, who documented the injuries and attempted to render aid, police said. As a result of the assault, the victim suffered bruises and abrasions to his chest, arms, wrists and lower back, along with a possible small radial neck fracture, police said.
The victim was taken to Abington Hospital for treatment, according to the complaint. Attempts to secure comment from Foundations Behavioral Health were unsuccessful.
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