Man accused of having sex with corpse
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
A lab technician employed by hospitals in Summit and Teaneck has been accused of sexually abusing a 92-year-old woman's corpse, authorities said yesterday.
Anthony Merino, 24, of Manhattan, was arrested Sunday morning after security personnel at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck observed him engaging in sexual activity with the body in the hospital morgue, authorities said.
Merino was charged with desecrating human remains, a second-degree offense, Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli said in a written statement.
Merino, who is single, was required to submit to a psychological evaluation and was being held in the Bergen County Jail in lieu of $400,000 bail.
In addition to his job at Holy Name, Merino was employed by Overlook Hospital in Summit and Bio Reference Labs in Elmwood Park at the time of his arrest, Molinelli said.
Merino was fired from Holy Name immediately, according to the hospital. The woman's next of kin also were informed after his arrest.
Overlook Hospital fired him yesterday, a spokeswoman there said.
Before his arrest, Merino had only worked at Holy Name as a per diem employee for 14 days, the hospital said in a statement issued last night. A "thorough criminal background investigation" and reference check were performed before he was hired, according to the statement.
"This heinous crime is a travesty," the statement said. "We are horrified and saddened for the family of the patient and are completely empathetic and sympathetic to them."
Merino had worked part-time in the histology department at Overlook Hospital since Sept. 7, according to the hospital spokeswoman.
Histology involves the microscopic examination of tissue. | 
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