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State: Bloomington Doctor Molested More Women

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A former Bloomington doctor had a history of sexual misconduct before his arrest in 2020 on sexual assault charges involving a female patient, according to a motion filed by the state.

Dr. Shaun Kink
Credit Bloomington Police
Shaun Kink was an orthopedic surgeon with McLean County Orthopedics.

Shaun Kink was an orthopedic surgeon with McLean County Orthopedics when he was accused in January 2020 of sexually assaulting a woman in her hospital room and at her home, following her release from Carle BroMenn Medical Center after a seven-week stay.

Prosecutors are seeking to admit evidence of additional alleged misconduct by Kink at his trial. Three other women have shared accusations concerning Kink with the state going back to spring 2018.

Two women, both in their 40s, allege Kink molested them during office visits. A third woman, in her 50s, reported being molested in Kink’s office in August 2018. The claims were not reported to police; one of the alleged victims disclosed the accusation in a survey with McLean County Orthopedics, but she did not receive a response, according to court records.

The state argues a jury should be allowed to hear from the three women because their allegations could show a common motive, intent, or plan by Kink to commit sexual misconduct.

Kink had a doctor-patient relationship with all four women, prosecutor Mary Koll argued in the state’s motion. In each case, Kink “exploited the trusting and private nature of the sacred doctor-patient relationship by engaging in inappropriate sexual conduct with each woman,” said the motion.

The motion outlines other evidence the state may use in its case.

After Kink left the alleged victim’s residence in early December 2019, she went to police who began looking for Kink’s Subaru Legacy sedan, a vehicle the woman said she saw leave her home. Surveillance video collected by Bloomington police from the neighborhood shows a similar car parked outside the woman’s home.

Kink, dressed in clothing described by the woman to police, was seen parking his vehicle a short time later at the hospital, according to the state.

A search of Kink’s cell phone by police showed Google searches by the suspect in late December for “criminal cases involving mobile devices” and “Bloomington il police department use of cell phone forensics,” said the motion.

Cell phone records examined by police also indicated Kink’s phone was in the area of the woman’s residence for about 26 minutes on the morning of the alleged assault, according to the state.

Kink’s defense lawyer, Peter Wise, recently asked Judge Casey Costigan to seal the defense response to the state’s motion from the public. Costigan agreed to review the filing before issuing a ruling on the request to seal the records.

Kink is due back in court April 14 when arguments may be heard on cell phone data the state may attempt to introduce in the case.

Kink’s medical privileges have been revoked at both Twin City hospitals and the state has revoked his medical license. A civil lawsuit has been filed by the victim identified in the charges against McLean County Orthopedics and Carle BroMenn is pending in McLean County court.

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Edith began her career as a reporter with The DeWitt County Observer, a weekly newspaper in Clinton. From 2007 to June 2019, Edith covered crime and legal issues for The Pantagraph, a daily newspaper in Bloomington, Illinois. She previously worked as a correspondent for The Pantagraph covering courts and local government issues in central Illinois.
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