CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A man accused of breaking into Charlotte nursing homes and sexually assaulting two patients entered a guilty plea Monday.
Police say Alphonso Dawkins broke into nursing homes on Toddville Road and then one on Reddman Road last September.
Dawkins, 31, was initially charged with two counts of first-degree burglary and three counts of second-degree forcible sex offense.
Police responded to the Charlotte Health and Rehab Center on Toddville Road in response to a possible sexual assault last September.
Officers said Dawkins was in an 85-year-old woman's room around 11:41 p.m. and claimed he was a family member. A witness called 911 and described Dawkins' vehicle.
Dawkins fled, but not before police said he sexually assaulted the woman.
The victim’s daughter, Robbin Henderson, saw justice served Monday.
Henderson said her mother served her community working for Charlotte doctors and schools her entire life.
"This was something that had the ability to taint our mother's legacy, but we won't allow it,” Henderson said.
Three hours later, police responded to the Brian Center Health and Rehab on Redmann Road. An 84-year-old woman told officers she was asleep and was woken up by a man in bed with her.
“I think disturbing is putting it mildly; 84, 85-year-old women,” said CMPD spokesman Rob Tufano.
The director of the Brian Center said they had him on surveillance cameras, and that he matched the description of the suspect in the Toddville Road attack.
It still isn't clear how Dawkins got into the facilities. Police are not ruling out the possibility that he may have done something similar at other nursing homes, but they don't have any evidence yet.
“Very disturbing that this could happen,” a family member said. “You wonder what the security measures are and what's being done to make sure that people do take measures to keep the facility safe.”
As part of the deal, three counts were dropped.
He will spend 9 to 16 years in prison, and he will be registered as a sex offender.
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