Nurse used 'relaxation technique' on patient, police charge him with sexual assault, report says

A Connecticut nurse used a “relaxation technique” on a patient during an office visit, but now police say that action was sexual assault.

On July 19, officials said they began an investigation into Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Steven Lamoureux, 46, after a complaint was reported stating he used a “relaxation technique” on a medical patient during an office visit in Farmington, Connecticut.

The victim reported the incident and Detective Steph Egan said the victim was “crying, upset and visibly shaken” when talking to detectives, NBC Connecticut reported.

Egan told NBC Connecticut, "We learned through the patient that she was there for a medical diagnosis with regards to anxiety. And during the appointment, the [nurse] suggested an alternative relaxation technique. Trusting her [nurse], she disrobed to only her underwear and was instructed to lie down on the table."

At that point, the victim said Lamoureux began massaging various parts of her body, which she described as a massage she might receive from a husband or boyfriend, not a medical professional.

According to authorities, the act that Lamoureux performed was not in accordance with standard medical care and was also outside the scope of his license.

During the investigation, detectives learned Lamoureux was the subject of a previous Department of Public Health complaint about inappropriate conduct in 2018, but that complaint was investigated and closed.

A department spokesperson told NBC Connecticut, "The Connecticut Department of Public Health conducted a thorough investigation and it was determined that he did not violate the medical standard of care at the time."

Lamoureux was arrested and charged with one count of fourth-degree sexual assault, police said.

He was released on a $100,000 bond, authorities said.