A woman in Phoenix, Arizona just gave birth, but that’s not the unusual part – this woman has been in a vegetative state for over 10 years after nearly drowning . A vegetative state is “a chronic state of brain dysfunction in which a person shows no signs of awareness.” The woman’s identity or age has not been released to the public. She was a patient at Hacienda Healthcare, this is a private facility for chronically ill and developmentally disabled patients. The woman had been in a vegetative state for almost 14 years and gave birth to a healthy baby boy on December 29. According to staff at Hacienda Healthcare, they were unaware she was even pregnant until she gave birth. San Carlos Apache officials announced Tuesday night that the woman was an enrolled member of the tribe.

Phoenix Police have started a sexual assault investigation, state regulators have demanded that the staff of Hacienda step up their safety measures, and are asking male faculty to be accompanied by another person if they are treating  a female patient. Phoenix Police have also gotten a search warrant to get DNA from all male staff members. “Will do all they can to find the perpetrator,” said Phoenix Police.

Her family, who are also members of the San Carlos Apache tribe in south-eastern Arizona, said in a statement through their attorney that they will care for the baby boy. “On behalf of the tribe, I am deeply shocked and horrified at the treatment of one of our members,” tribal chairman Terry Rambler said. “When you have a loved one committed to palliative care, when they are most vulnerable and dependent upon others, you trust their caretakers. Sadly, one of her caretakers was not to be trusted and took advantage of her. It is my hope that justice will be served.”