A grand jury has indicted an Albuquerque homeless man for allegedly fondling a 7-year-old child in UNM Hospital's emergency room waiting area while his mother was being treated for an injury on May 26.
A criminal complaint registered the same day in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court and based on the testimony of a UNM police officer states that the victim's mother returned from the emergency room and discovered 39-year-old Gary Zeitlin kneeling down with his hand on the child's groin area.
Other children, reportedly related to the victim, allegedly witnessed Zeitlin approach the 7-year-old, according to the UNM police report.
UNM Hospital security detained Zeitlin until University police arrived at about 12 a.m.
The mother reportedly told police, through an interpreter, that she had noticed Zeitlin looking at the children and she told them to stay away from the man.
Soon after that, the woman was called into the emergency room for treatment and when she returned, she said she saw Zeitlin kneeling in front of her son.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
The criminal complaint states that the victim said Zeitlin lifted up the victim's shirt and placed his hand on the victim's stomach. Zeitlin then lowered his hand and tried to unzip the victim's pants.
After UNM police interviewed the children, victim and the victim's mother, they spoke with Assistant District Attorney Christian Anderson. Law enforcement officials determined that there was enough evidence to charge Zeitlin and he was arrested at the hospital and taken to the Bernalillo County Detention Center. Anderson was not available for comment.
Zeitlin is charged with criminal sexual contact of a minor in the third degree, a third-degree felony. He could not be reached for comment.
The indictment was filed June 9 in Metropolitan Court and was approved by Deputy District Attorney Lisa Murray Trabaudo. Trabaudo was not available for comment.
Sam Giammo, director of Public Affairs for University Hospital said UNM police were investigating the case.
A copy of the University police report was forwarded to the UNM Hospital Public Affairs department and to the commander and chief of the police department.
