Psychologist Accused Of Raping Patient Hangs Himself In Prison Cell

A 67-year-old man was found hanging in his cell in Whitman County Jail on Sunday night, correctional officers said. The man who was identified as Dean Funabiki was unresponsive when found, and was taken to Whitman Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Reports stated several officers and Emergency Medical personnel also attempted some lifesaving measures, but in vain.

Brett J. Myers from the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office shed some light on the case and said, “At this time, investigators from the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office will be working jointly with the Whitman County Coroner’s Office to determine cause and manner of death. This investigation is ongoing."

Dr. Funabiki was first arrested Friday on suspicion of sexually assaulting a female client in January, KXLY, a news/talk radio outlet based in Spokane, Washington, reported. He reportedly lived in Pullman, the largest city in Whitman County.

He had turned himself in to the Pullman Police Department at 10:30 p.m. local time (1:30 a.m. EST) on Feb. 16. Dr. Funabiki was arrested and booked on a charge of second-degree rape and was immediately transported to the Whitman County Jail. Funabiki’s attorney was also present at the station at the time.

A person is charged with second-degree rape when the perpetrator is a health care provider and the alleged victim a client or patient, and the sexual intercourse occurs during a treatment session.

Dr. Funabiki’s case first came to light after a female resident in her 40s from Pullman told the police he sexually assaulted her during a therapy session in January. The alleged assault took place in Dr. Funabiki’s office at 1205 SE Professional Mall Boulevard.

After the woman, who remained unidentified, filed the complaint, police authorities collected DNA sample from the doctor and sent it for tests to the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab along with swabs collected from the victim.

The test concluded Dr. Funabiki’s DNA samples matched the swabs collected from private areas of the victim's body, which is consistent with sexual assault.

In a fairly similar incident, an Iowa therapist was arrested in January after she was accused of exploiting a female patient by touching and kissing her in a hot tub in her home.

The suspect was identified as 45-year-old, Aracely Schutters, who also worked as a social worker at The Compass, a center for disabilities and development based in Iowa City.

Schutters was reportedly accused of inviting a female patient to her home in Bettendorf, a city in Scott County through text messages.

Reports stated the client, who had never met Schutters outside the clinic, went to her house and entered her hot tub to speak about issues she had been dealing with. However, things started to turn awry when Schutters tried to get the patient drunk by serving her several alcoholic beverages in addition to engaging in unwanted kissing and touching.

Schutters was charged with one count of sexual exploitation by a counselor/therapist, a Class D felony, punishable by up to five years in prison.