Man accused of raping child at Bellingham hospital sent for competency restoration
A Whatcom County Superior Court judged ruled Thursday morning that the man accused of raping a child at St. Joseph Medical Center must undergo competency restoration services before he can stand trial.
Alexander Kyle Humphries, 37, of Bellingham was arrested May 19 after allegedly raping a 14-year-old child while the two were patients in the specialized emergency care unit at St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham.
Humphries was charged with third-degree rape of a child, but has not been formally arraigned. The court signed an order at his first appearance requesting a competency evaluation, finding that Humphries “does not appear to understand the nature of the charges.”
A developmental disabilities professional conducted the competency evaluation, which was submitted June 11. According to the evaluation, Humphries did not show any signs of hallucinations, delusions or thoughts of harming himself or others.
However, Humphries did show mild impairment in his working memory and concentration, and his “fund of knowledge” was limited. He also received special education services in school.
When asked about the case, Humphries appeared “unaware of the gravity of the offense,” according to the evaluation, and said he didn’t know if he may face a jail or prison sentence.
The evaluator diagnosed Humphries with autism, an intellectual developmental disorder, mood disorders and possible obsessive compulsive disorder. They also found that Humphries lacked the capacity to understand the nature of the legal proceedings against him or assist in his defense due to information processing deficits, reasoning deficits, impaired judgment and impulsive decision-making.
The evaluator, as well as the prosecutor and defense attorney, all recommended that Humphries be sent to Western State Hospital in Tacoma for competency restoration services. The judge agreed.
A hearing to discuss the status of Humphries’ competency has been scheduled for July 30.
This story was originally published June 18, 2026 at 10:53 AM.