Male nurse faces sex abuse charges

A 27-year-old male nurse accused of sexually abusing an elderly woman who suffers from dementia made his first appearance in court Wednesday.

Jody D. Jeffres, of Post Falls, was charged Wednesday with felony sexual abuse of a vulnerable adult – in this case an 84-year-old woman he was helping use a bathroom at a Coeur d’Alene retirement apartment.

The felony charge is the third sex crime Jeffres has been charged with in the last month. He was charged Feb. 21 with two counts of lewd conduct involving two girls he was acquainted with – ages 2 and 4. He is being held at the Kootenai County Jail without bail.

His arraignment on charges involving the young girls is set for Wednesday in front of 1st District Judge John T. Mitchell.

The alleged crime against the elderly woman occurred in the woman’s apartment at Loyalton of Coeur d’Alene, but Jeffres was there as an employee of Alternative Health Care, LLC, of Post Falls, according to police records.

Loyalton’s regional director, Ryan Jacobson, said the home health provider was hired by the woman’s family and was in no way associated with Loyalton.

Bruce Weaver, owner of Alternative Health Care, said Jeffres was fired as soon as the company heard about the allegations.

“It was very much a surprise,” Weaver said. He said Jeffres worked for the company for about a year and was an “exemplary employee.”

When allegations were made that Jeffres had molested a client, Weaver said, company officials reviewed his personnel record and comments clients had made about him.

Weaver said clients described Jeffres as a “hard worker” and “conscientious.”

“We feel like it’s a tragedy for both family and him as an individual,” Weaver said of the charges.

According to the Post Falls police report, Jeffres was a caregiver for the elderly woman from October through December of 2006.

The report said Jeffres sometimes cared for the woman overnight and in 24-hour shifts on the weekends.