Report: PSL therapist accused of sexual battery on teen patient found dead in home office

PORT ST. LUCIE — A police report reveals details surrounding the death of a therapist accused of sexually abusing a teen patient he was treating with hypnosis in a counseling session.

Officers found Robert Medina, 69, dead Sept. 11 the week following his arrest on a charge of sexual activity with a minor on Sept. 3.

Police arrested Medina based on statements from a 17-year-old patient who told officers he was sexually battered by Medina while under hypnosis in a session at Medina's practice called Healing Counseling Inc., which he operated out of his apartment.

More: Port St. Lucie therapist accused of sexually battering teen patient

More: Therapist accused of sexual battery found dead in Port St. Lucie home

The investigation report obtained from the Port St. Lucie Police Department Sept. 16 showed that after two days without hearing from Medina, officers went to The Atlantic Tradition apartments to do a "welfare check" at Medina's home and office.

Described as "luxury rental apartments," The Atlantic Tradition is west of Interstate 95 and roughly midway between Crosstown Parkway and Southwest Gatlin Boulevard.

Around 12 p.m. on Sept. 11, police went into Medina's apartment with the help of the property manager. Inside the apartment they opened a locked bedroom and found Medina dead on his bed with cuts on each side of his neck and a black pocketknife under his arm.

Police called the death a suicide in the report.

They found a sealed envelope on the kitchen counter typed in Spanish, which stated Medina wanted his retirement and savings to go to relatives in Colombia.

His body was taken to the Medical Examiner's Office in Fort Pierce.

Officers stated in the report that Medina's last known contact with anyone by phone was  Sept. 9 between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.

Medina's arrest affidavit stated that the teenager learned of Healing Counseling Inc. through its website where Medina had information about his qualifications and counseling services.

Florida Department of Health records listed Medina as a "licensed mental health counselor" in Port St. Lucie with a license to practice set to expire in March 2021.

Court records showed he was released from the St. Lucie County Jail Sept. 8 on $20,000 bail.

Corey Arwood is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Corey on Twitter @coreyarwood, or reach him by phone at 772-978-2246.

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