Utah mom claims nurse practitioner touched her vagina during breast augmentation and said: 'They did a good job sewing you up...it doesn't look like you birthed four kids'

A Utah mother-of-four has accused a nurse practitioner of touching her vagina during breast augmentation surgery and making inappropriate comments.

Chelsei Rasmussen alleged that Derrick Pickering inappropriately touched her during a November 2021 cosmetic procedure at Belle Medical, a spa in Draper, Utah.

Rasmussen was having a procedure done where fat is liposuctioned from other parts of the body and transferred to the breasts - but she was 'traumatized' when Pickering allegedly removed her paper apron and proceeded to touch her genitals.

The Mrs. Utah beauty pageant contestant claimed she didn't consent to the touching, and during the ordeal Pickering told her: 'They did a good job sewing you up, little to no scarring...it doesn't look like you birthed four kids.' 

She decided to share her alleged sexual assault as a way to help others. Last August, she reported Pickering to the police, and then a month later filed a civil lawsuit.

Pickering has vehemently denied all accusations - and instead accused the mother of lodging the complaint for her own publicity so she can 'build her career.'   

Chelsei Rasmussen alleged that Derrick Pickering inappropriately touched her during a November 2021 cosmetic procedure at Belle Medical, a spa in Draper, Utah

Nurse practicioner Derrick Pickering was accused of touching Rasmussen's vagina during a cosmetic procedure in November 2021 at Belle Medical Spa in Draper, Utah

Rasmussen told The Salt Lake Tribune that she understood the nurse would need to touch her chest, lower abdomen, and inner thighs to extract the fat, but it had nothing to do with her vagina. 

Pickering's attorney, Stephen Owens claims that his client has been 'falsely accused'

In the lawsuit, Ramussen said there was a female in the room during the time of the alleged assault, but said her laptop was propped up, so she was unable to see her face.

After she was given pain medication, she became less coherent, she claims.

Ramussen, who is also a life coach, admitted that she was scared of reporting Pickering because she said she 'didn't want to affect his life,' and called the process 'a very lonely journey.'

She told the outlet: 'It's hard with a medical provider, feeling like I'm taking on the medical world. It feels like a big task.'

It was later revealed that Ramussen was not the only alleged victim of Pickering. 

Three other women have come forward to report that the same nurse practitioner had touch them inappropriately.

Rasmussen told The Salt Lake Tribune that she understood the nurse would need to touch her chest, lower abdomen, and inner thighs to extract the fat, but it had nothing to do with her vagina

Pictured: Belle Medical, a spa in Draper, Utah

Pictured: Nurse practitioner Derrick Pickering

Two students at Utah Valley University reported Pickering, who started working at the clinic in February 2015, to campus police claiming they were sexually violated during an exam.

But the cases were dismissed or not thoroughly investigated by local authorities.  

One year before Rasmussen came forward, there was another patient at Belle Medical who had a similar experience and reported Pickering to the Draper police department.

It was not clear if their case was ever fully investigated, but at the time the women were told by authorities that what they were describing was not criminal misconduct.

However, Draper Lieutenant Michael Elkins told the news outlet that his department is now investigating Ramussen's report.

The department was alerted to the other women's previous complaints about Pickering after state licensers shared information with a detective.

Stephen Owens, Pickering's attorney, tried to halt the publishing of the article The Salt Lake Tribune sending a lengthy letter claiming that it would 'irreparably ruin the reputation of an innocent and caring health care provider.'

The Mrs. Utah beauty pageant contestant claimed she didn't consent to the touching, and during the ordeal Pickering told her: 'They did a good job sewing you up, little to no scarring...it doesn't look like you birthed four kids'

'Derrick has been falsely accused,' Owens told the news outlet. 'Whether by an unfortunate misperception by a patient, or the motive for money or to promote oneself on social media, we do not know.'

Owens instead accused Ramussen of trying to 'build her career...by tearing down the career of another.'

Pickering's attorney contends that his client never touched Ramussen's vagina, stating that she was covered during the procedure, other medical workers were in the room, and claimed that it is possible that Ramussen 'misperceived' what took place.

The comments that Pickering, who apparently does not recall saying, made to Ramussen was merely complimentary and would not have been referencing her vagina.

He said that his client plans to counter-sue Rasmussen for defamation.

There have been no criminal charges filed against Pickering, and his license as an advanced practice registered nurse is in good standing with Utah's Division of Professional Licensing.