Ex-hospital head pleads not guilty in California to molesting foster child; license revoked

Ex-hospital head pleads not guilty to abusing boy

LONG BEACH, Calif. — The former head of one of the nation’s biggest state mental institutions has pleaded not guilty in Southern California to molesting his foster child.

A judge on Friday also ordered Claude Foulk held on $3.5 million bail and granted a request by the state attorney general to revoke his nursing license.

Jon Artz, Foulk’s attorney, says the public should not jump to conclusions.

Foulk was fired from Napa State Hospital after his arrest Wednesday on 35 counts of sexually abusing one of his four foster sons.

Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Lesley Klein told the judge a total of 13 people have accused Foulk of molestation.

The other cases are under investigation, but the statute of limitations may prevent them from being prosecuted.