Taylor Manor counselor indicted on child abuse, sex assault charges

A psychiatric nursing counselor at Taylor Manor Hospital in Ellicott City accused of sexually abusing a patient several times last fall has been indicted by a Howard County grand jury.

Lance Elnesto Griffin, 41, of Randallstown, faces charges of child abuse, second-degree assault and a fourth-degree sex offense.

Police said Griffin forced a 17-year-old patient to have sex with him and perform other sexual acts. The alleged offenses occurred in early September, police said, a month after Griffin was hired as a temporary, part-time counselor.

The FBI and Maryland State Police used fingerprint files for a background check and found no past offenses, said Morris Scherr, a hospital vice president.

Griffin, who has been suspended, was indicted Jan. 21. He was arrested Jan. 4 and released on his own recognizance, records show.

Pub Date: 1/31/99