Delaware Psychiatric Center patient injured

A patient at the Delaware Psychiatric Center has a "significant" injury after being pushed by an employee, according to authorities.

A spokesman for the state Department of Health and Social Services says the 56-year-old male patient was being led into a quiet room when the worker escorting him pushed him from behind.

Because of the ongoing investigation and privacy issues, no names have been released.

The department has also not released details of the man's injuries.

"I can say that the injury was significant enough to require some emergency care and trigger an investigation into really looking at the incident that took place," said Carl Kanefsky of Delaware Health and Social Services.

Kanefsky says there have been contradictory statements as to what happened. Statements saying the victim tripped and fell, and others stating he was pushed.

"But for right now the preliminary investigation shows that the man was pushed," Kanefsky said. "There was no confrontation leading up to that incident which again is why the investigation is not quite cut and dry. So we're continuing to look at it."

The employee has been reassigned to a job that doesn't involve patient care until the investigation is completed.

Kanefsky says a quiet room is a place patients voluntarily go to cool off and relax by themselves.