AVENTURA, Fla. – A man accused of attempting to sexually batter a Miami homeless woman worked at two local hospitals and was under investigation at one of them after a similar allegation, Local 10 News has learned.
Miami police arrested Rodney Joseph, 32, on multiple charges. They said he approached a woman in the city’s Overtown neighborhood last Monday, offered her a ride to a shelter and, instead of taking her there, tried sexually battering her at gunpoint, demanding she show him her breasts.
Local 10 News learned that Joseph was employed at Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital until February 2022 and also worked with mental health patients at HCA Florida Aventura Hospital, where he would later be investigated by authorities.
According to an Aug. 19 Aventura police incident report, the woman told investigators she was showering when Joseph entered the room and groped her breast, then said he forced her on her knees and exposed his penis to her, attempting to force it in her.
The report states that she said when she refused, Joseph told her to keep quiet about the situation because the staff would believe him over her. She said it wasn’t the first encounter she had with Joseph.
A psychiatrist told police that it appeared as if she was “imagining things,” the incident report states. Joseph remained on the job.
Video footage showed Joseph entering the room multiple times for one to two-minute intervals on the date of the incident, it states.
HCA Florida Aventura Hospital issued a statement to Local 10 News about the investigation.
“The safety and security of our patients and colleagues remains our top priority,” a hospital spokesperson said. “Our hospital has stringent protocols to ensure a safe environment for everyone, and we will continue to reinforce these measures to uphold the trust our community places in us.”
Local 10 News contacted Aventura police with multiple questions about how the investigation was handled but did not receive a response.
Miami police said that they believe Joseph may have targeted more women. They’re asking anyone who was a victim or has information to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.