LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) – The hunt is on for a licensed massage therapist accused of sexually touching a patient during an appointment.
The young woman involved this case says this traumatic experience has turned her life upside down. For her safety, we're protecting her identity and just calling her Sarah.
"I try not to think about it and I try to keep my mind distracted most of the time," said Sarah.
Sarah never could have predicted something like this would happen to her. It all started last month after the 18-year-old was involved in a car accident. As part of her recovery, she went to Kentucky Pain and Rehab Chiropractic on Bardstown Road in Buechel.
Sarah says over two weeks she saw Juan Antonio Bara, 62, a licensed massage therapist, four to five times.
"From the beginning I always thought something was weird about him," said Sarah.
Sarah says he started asking her to remove her shirt while he would step out of the room, But it wasn't until January 4th that she says Bara crossed the line.
"I was just laying there and he completely takes all of my clothes off, underwear and everything, and he starts giving me a massage on my arm, my legs, until he starts touching me inappropriately," said Sarah.
Sarah went home and told her mother what happened. The two immediately went back to the chiropractor's office and called police.
"We did talk to the doctor that owns the establishment and he said at no time, should a patient's clothes ever be removed," said Detective Jon Fischer, Louisville Metro Police.
Fischer says Bara was fired immediately. The next day Louisville Metro Police took out an arrest warrant against Bara for sex abuse in the third degree.
"We went to his house and spoke to his roommates, who had advised us that he had packed his belongings up and had gone ahead and fled, they think he went to Naples, Florida to avoid prosecution," said Fischer.
Knowing he's out there, Sarah says she doesn't feel safe. "I look everywhere," said Sarah. "I get out of my car and I look everywhere. I don't know if he might try to take it out on me or my mom, you never know what's going on in somebody's head."
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Juan Antonio Bara (Source: LMPD)
"Sarah" says she doesn't feel safe.
Det. Jon Fischer
The business van of the company where "Sarah" was attacked.
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