KING WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. -- A staff member at a Virginia children’s hospital under criminal investigation and the center of a CBS 6 Problem Solvers investigation has been arrested for sex crimes.
Herschel “Mickey” Harden was indicted by a multi-jurisdictional grand jury in King William Wednesday. He has been charged with two counts of object sexual penetration by force in New Kent County.
The 72-year-old is a psychotherapist at Cumberland Hospital for Children and Adolescents in New Kent. Court records show one of the crimes happened in October of 2018, the other in January of 2019.
The Attorney General’s office tells CBS 6 that the victim was a former patient at that facility.
Related: CBS 6 investigation uncovers child abuse, neglect allegations at Virginia children’s hospital
CBS 6 first reported that Virginia State Police have been investigating multiple allegations of abuse and neglect at Cumberland Hospital since 2017.
#BREAKING Cumberland Hospital psychotherapist “Mickey” Harden arrested and behind bars for two counts of “object sexual penetration.” Charges related to alleged sexual contact w/former patient in 2018/19 while employed at hospital. @CBS6 pic.twitter.com/tFlvRFQov5
— Laura French (@lfrenchnews) February 6, 2020
As part of that ongoing investigation, it’s collected “approximately 250 pages of documents and information, including, but not limited to, complaints court orders, memoranda, notes, diagrams, maps, photographs, correspondence, reports, witness statements, and evidence in whole or in part,” according to a response from VSP to a CBS 6 request under the Freedom of Information Act.
Harden, who has been released on bond, is scheduled to appear in New Kent County Circuit Court on February 10.
The Attorney General’s office is asking anyone with information about the allegations against Harden, or other allegations at Cumberland Hospital, to contact the Virginia State Police’s Bureau of Criminal Investigations at (804) 537-6788.
Related: Girl’s graphic drawings at center of sexual abuse investigation into director of children’s hospital
