Woman claims chiropractor groped her during exam
A Springfield chiropractor has been arrested for allegedly groping a patient during an examination earlier this month.
“A chiropractor is a medical professional and, as such, he owed his patients a duty of care,” said District
Attorney Jack Stollsteimer in a release. “In this case, the defendant violated his professional obligation and abused his patient’s trust.”
Ardel Cirio, 61, is charged with one count of indecent assault without the consent of another. He was arrested at his home Monday morning and arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Kelly A. Micozzie-Aguirre, who set bail at $100,000 unsecured, according to online court records.
The alleged victim came to the Newtown Police Department March 8 to report a sexual assault, according to the release. She told police she had been a patient of Cirio’s for approximately three years, but had begun feeling uncomfortable in recent visits, the release says.
The alleged victim said Cirio had been gradually moving his hands closer to her breasts with each examination, culminating in his going under her bra and feeling both breasts while conducting a shoulder adjustment March 8, according to the release. She reported the alleged assault the same day after leaving Cirio’s practice at 17 Bishop Hollow Road, Suite
A, in Newtown Township.
“We applaud the victim for coming forward to report this conduct,” said Stollsteimer, who thanked Chief Christopher Lunn and Detective Sgt. John Newell of the Newtown Police Department for their quick work on the case. “It is important that this abuse of trust be called out and the perpetrator brought to justice.”
Cirio is scheduled for a preliminary hearing March 25 before Micozzie-Aguirre.