PHOENIX -- A judge has reversed the convictions of three Scottsdale hospital employees found guilty of failing to report a sexual-abuse case.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Joseph Kreamer reversed the Scottsdale City Court's misdemeanor convictions of the employees -- Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Vice President Susan Livengood, psychiatrist Patricia Crellin and nurse practitioner Shelley Van Vianen.

They were found guilty in October of not reporting the alleged sexual abuse of a 23-year-old stroke patient.

The incident allegedly occurred in November 2007 but was not reported to Scottsdale police until January 2008. Police were called to the by a security supervisor reporting a sexual assault of one of the hospital patients.

The officer assigned to the incident discovered that a complaint was reported to the hospital on Dec. 12, 2007, Sgt. Mark Clark of the Scottsdale Police Department said at the time.

The officer discovered that during the time the hospital learned of the incident and its report to police, the hospital staff had been conducting what was described as an "internal investigation" into the incident.

The officer took the initial information from the victim and hospital staff, and then the case was turned over to the Scottsdale Police Department's sex crimes detectives.

As detectives uncovered more details, they found that the incident was alleged to have occurred on Nov. 17, however, the victim was incapacitated and therefore unable to report the crime until Dec. 12, according to Clark.

Detectives conducted an exhaustive investigation but the investigation was inconclusive and no suspect was identified, Clark said.

Clark said the investigation revealed that the victim's therapist learned of the incident on Dec. 12 and notified her supervisor.

After that, other levels of management were notified, Clark said. At some point, the decision was made to not immediately notify the police, Clark said.

Although police could not corroborate the allegations, prosecutors charged the officials with not reporting the suspected abuse promptly.