Ex-Dayton Children’s doctor sex crimes trial date set

The sex assault case of a former Dayton Children’s doctor will head to trial in 2018, according to court records.

Arun Aggarwal, 40, faces four counts of gross sexual imposition for allegedly touching two female teenage patients’ breasts. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

PREVIOUS: Former Children’s doctor arraigned in court

His trial date is set for Jan. 22 after a final pre-trial conference on Jan. 11, Judge Mary Wiseman said.

Aggarwal is a former pediatric gastroenterologist at Dayton Children’s. The incidents allegedly occurred between Dec. 23, 2013, and Nov. 10, 2014. The charges are fourth-degree felonies.

A request to Aggarwal’s attorney for comment was not immediately returned.

Aggarwal was arrested in August after attempting to flee the country, according to the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office. Aggarwal was arrested in Washington D.C. after flying from Cleveland to Dulles International Airport in an attempt to catch a connecting flight to India.

MORE: Board revokes license of doctor accused of touching two teens’ breasts

A 2015 investigation by Dayton police concluded with the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office declining to take the case to grand jury because one of the alleged victims wouldn’t testify, according to records obtained by the Dayton Daily News.

An investigation by the Dayton Daily News this year found hospital and university administrators opted not to report the allegations against Aggarwal to police. After the first complaint, they issued him a warning. After the second, they set up a policy requiring a nurse or other health professional to be in the room whenever he examined a female patient over the age of 10.

Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck said he re-opened the case because additional evidence came out during testimony about the accusation before the state medical board. The board in May revoked Aggarwal’s medical license.

Aggarwal told state medical board investigators that his actions were medically necessary as parts of examinations of the two girls.

MORE: Records reveal hospital debate over sexual misconduct allegations

In announcing the charges, Heck said allegations like those made against Aggarwal should be brought to law enforcement immediately.

Police learned of the allegations when a Children’s manager reported it to police on her own.

Since then, Dayton Children’s has said they have strengthened their processes in responding to allegations of this nature and have implemented “one of the most stringent chaperone policies in the country.”

About the Authors