Patients’ shocking sexual assault claims lead to charges against former nurse

MONROE, Wash. (KIRO) - A former nurse in Washington state is facing felony charges after several patients levied shocking claims of sexual assault against him.

Stephen Odingo, 61, faces four felony counts of indecent liberties after three women accused him of sexual assault. The women were all patients at EvergreenHealth Monroe, the hospital where Odingo worked as a nurse.

Charging documents from the Snohomish County Prosecutor’s office outline the case.

The first incident was reported in July 2024. A woman told police she checked into the medical center, and Odingo asked her to remove all her clothing. She said the nurse then “grabbed both [her] breasts and started to massage them” and “went down the front of her underwear with his hand,” according to the documents.

A second victim said that, in January 2025, Odingo repeatedly hugged her and held her hand then asked her to remove her bra. When she refused, the nurse reportedly tried to remove it himself, according to the documents.

Investigators said, in both cases, the women reported Odingo, and he was removed from their care teams.

A third victim reported Odingo just days after the second alleged incident. She told investigators she was nervous about her treatment and initially thought Odingo’s behavior was an attempt to comfort her, according to the documents.

She alleged Odingo gave her a back massage then told her, ‘Maybe you can take care of me sometime’ before kissing her on the mouth through his mask. She said the nurse later squeezed her breasts so hard she started crying after which he again tried to hug and kiss her before touching her genitals, according to the documents.

Following the third report, investigators say Odingo was suspended from work then resigned later that month.

Odingo is set to be arraigned Wednesday.

EvergreenHealth said patient safety is a priority and that it is cooperating fully with the investigation. The hospital would not comment further because this is an ongoing legal matter.