Charges Dropped in Molestation Case

Ventura County prosecutors have dropped charges against a former employee of an Oxnard residential care facility who was accused of fondling two elderly women who lived at the six-bed home.

The case against Feddy Biascan, 52, was dismissed Monday for lack of evidence, prosecutors said.

Biascan had been charged with two counts of misdemeanor sexual battery for allegedly fondling two women in their mid-70s who lived at Cristina’s Board and Care.

Police described both women as “extremely frail” and unable to provide statements about the alleged molestation because of their mental and physical condition.

A former employee at the facility reported the alleged molestation, which authorities said occurred April 20, 1999.

On Monday, board and care owner Florentina Tucay defended Biascan and called the co-worker who reported the abuse “a liar.”

“I strongly believe that [Biascan] couldn’t do that,” Tucay said. “I stood behind him 100%.”

Tucay owns two six-bed care facilities in Oxnard: Cristina’s Board and Care and Tucay Home Care, which have been state licensed since 1983.

Tucay, 54, was charged last year with misdemeanor battery for allegedly slapping an elderly woman--a charge she adamantly denied. In November, prosecutors dropped the charge against her.

Now, Tucay says she is trying to recover from damage done to her reputation and assure community members that her facilities provide quality elder care.

“I want to clean up the image of my facility,” she said.

Last October, investigators with the state’s community care licensing agency concluded that “sexually inappropriate touching” had occurred at Cristina’s.

As a result, Biascan was barred from ever working at a licensed care facility in California, said Blanca Barna, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Social Services.

Barna said state officials continue to monitor the facility.