A central Minnesota home health aide has been fired and cited by state investigators for having sex several times with a physically handicapped patient who had been one of her patients.

The aide for Good Shepherd Home Health Care in Sauk Rapids told a state Health Department investigator that she "didn't want to cross that line," but eventually did so after first admitting to her superiors that she was developing feelings for the man.

That admission prompted her superiors in February to remove her as the man's aide, but the sexual encounters that followed were still in violation of the Vulnerable Adults Act, according to a department report released Friday.

As for any possible legal consequences, Police Chief Perry Beise said Monday that his department was informed of the firing for "inappropriate conduct, [and] we are requesting information to determine whether any laws were actually broken."

According to the state report:

The aide admitted that after being removed as the man's caregiver the two would have supper and watch movies at his apartment, where they had sex "about four times."

The state report described the patient as "alert and oriented" but susceptible "to abuse due to his physical handicap, physical limitations and being weak and debilitated."

The aide said she thought the sex was not a violation, given that she was no longer his caregiver.

Once the aide's employer verified the sexual activity, she was fired, said Good Shepherd President and CEO Bruce Glanzer.

The state report said that the Health Department found no wrongdoing on the part of Good Shepherd in connection with what the state characterized as "abuse" by the aide.

As is practice, the report did not name the aide or the patient involved.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482