Key Takeaways
- Alexander Colbath, a former New Hampshire nursing assistant, faces a total of 34 felony charges across four cases involving allegations of child sexual abuse and the creation of child sexual abuse material. The allegations span several months and involve multiple settings, including Elliot Hospital in Manchester, NH, and a private residence where he was hired to babysit.
- Beyond the criminal cases, the allegations raise questions about civil accountability, including whether institutions or entities responsible for hiring, supervision, or safeguarding children failed to take reasonable steps to prevent harm.
Alexander Colbath, a former New Hampshire nursing assistant, is facing 34 felony charges across four different cases following allegations of child sexual abuse and the creation of child sexual abuse material. The allegations span several months and involve multiple settings, including Elliot Hospital in Manchester, NH, and a private residence where Colbath was hired to babysit.
September 2025: Babysitting Concerns First Reported
The earliest known concerns in this case arose on September 7, 2025, when a mother in Penacook contacted police with concerns after hiring Colbath to babysit her son, 8, and two daughters, 5 and 3, through a service called Sittercity.
According to court filings, Colbath babysat for this same family in May, August, and September 2025. The parent alleged that Colbath gave one of her children an adult Benadryl and instructed a potty-trained child to “soil herself in her diaper” after she asked to go to the bathroom. One of the children also told investigators that Colbath recorded her while she was using the bathroom. The children were interviewed at the Merrimack County Child Advocacy Center, where disclosures were documented as part of the investigation.
A search warrant executed on Colbath’s phone revealed videos of two minors going to the bathroom. They also found “videos of [Colbath] inappropriately touching the children and interacting with them while they urinated and defecated, according to court records filed by police.” (Boston Globe)
Investigators said they were able to confirm that some of the recordings were created inside the family’s home by matching visible features such as furniture, rugs, and clothing, as well as geolocation data associated with the files.
In connection with the babysitting incidents, on January 8, 2026, Concord Police arrested Colbath and charged him with the following felonies:
- Manufacturing Child Sexual Abuse Images
- Felonious Sexual Assault
- Violation of Privacy
- Endangering the Welfare of a Child – Solicit Sex
November 29, 2025: Allegations at Elliot Hospital
On November 29, 2025, police were called to Elliot Hospital in Manchester, NH, to investigate allegations that an 8-year-old patient was sexually assaulted. According to the Union Leader, the girl was “admitted to the hospital after complications from surgery a week earlier. The alleged assault occurred when Colbath told the girl he needed to check her stitches.” He was working as a licensed nursing assistant.
According to court documents, the child reported the alleged incident to her mother, who notified hospital staff, and police were subsequently contacted.
The child told investigators that “Colbath told her he was going to look at an incision in her groin area, one of three regions affected by her procedure. Documents say she claims Colbath lifted her pants up before pushing and rubbing his knuckle on her private area.” (WMUR)
According to the Union Leader, “A doctor told police there was no reason Colbath would have had to check incisions or to manipulate the girl’s clothing in any way.”
The child further reported that Colbath pointed a phone toward her private area, which “did not appear to be hospital-issued,” and that she observed a flash of light consistent with a camera flash. According to court records, Colbath’s authorized role in the patient’s room was limited to taking vital signs and assisting other nursing staff.
On December 5, 2025, Colbath was arrested by the Manchester Police Department and subsequently charged with aggravated felonious sexual assault on a person under the age of 13. He was later released on personal recognizance.
Following the arrest, the hospital issued a statement saying, “The safety of our patients, staff, and visitors at Elliot Health System is our highest priority. For further information regarding the situation, we refer you to local authorities.”
The hospital confirmed that Colbath is no longer employed there.
Anyone with information about this investigation or Alexander Colbath is asked to contact Detective Haley Metz at 603-792-5748.
If you or someone you love has been harmed, you can contact New Hampshire’s 24/7 Statewide Helpline.
December 9, 2025: Emergency Nursing Assistant License Suspension
On December 9, 2025, the New Hampshire Board of Nursing issued an emergency suspension of Colbath’s nursing assistant license.
According to the New Hampshire Board of Nursing, the emergency suspension was based on findings that Colbath “engaged in inappropriate sexual contact with an eight-year-old child without any medical justification,” leading regulators to determine that immediate action was necessary to protect public safety.
January 2026: Additional Charges in Manchester
While the babysitting investigation in Concord was ongoing, investigators also identified files on Colbath’s phone that appeared to have been recorded at Elliot Hospital in Manchester.
On January 21, 2026, the Manchester Police Department announced additional felony charges following further forensic review of Colbath’s cellphone: 12 additional counts of manufacturing child sex abuse images and 12 counts of possessing child sexual abuse images.
The “images include depictions of ‘juvenile females in stages of undress, within bathrooms, while actively urinating, and while lying on hospital beds’…These new charges pertain to victims other than the child who reported the Nov. 29 assault, a Manchester police spokesperson said.” (Boston Globe)
Manchester District Court records indicate that these offenses allegedly occurred between July and September.
Colbath remains in custody at the time of this writing.
Potential Civil Liability
The criminal justice system addresses individual criminal responsibility, while civil cases examine whether institutions or entities failed to take reasonable steps to protect those in their care.
Some of the allegations against Alexander Colbath involve conduct that allegedly occurred while he was working in a hospital environment, where patients, particularly children, may be especially vulnerable due to medical treatment, recovery from surgery, and their reliance on medical staff for care and supervision. In hospital settings, civil investigations may examine whether appropriate safeguards were in place to protect patients.
Reporting has also documented allegations involving caregivers hired through online babysitting platforms. While each matter is evaluated on its own, such reporting underscores the importance of safeguards, vetting, and clear reporting mechanisms whenever individuals are given unsupervised access to children.
Depending on the circumstances, civil cases may examine issues such as:
- Hiring and credentialing practices, including whether proper verification of qualifications, licensure, and prior employment history was completed
- Background checks and ongoing monitoring, particularly for staff or caregivers given access to children or vulnerable patients
- Training and reporting protocols, including whether staff were properly trained on boundaries, mandated reporting obligations, and how to respond to concerns
- Response to warning signs or complaints, including whether prior concerns, unusual behavior, or red flags were identified, documented, and addressed in a timely manner
Support and Legal Options for Survivors
Allegations involving abuse by individuals in positions of trust, including medical providers and caregivers, can leave survivors and families with lasting questions and trauma.
If you or your child were harmed by Alexander Colbath or another trusted nurse or caregiver, legal guidance is available to help you understand whether you may have a civil case.
Civil cases can examine whether institutions failed to protect those in their care. They can provide a path to accountability, answers, support, and justice separate from a criminal case.
Andreozzi + Foote is a nationally recognized civil law firm dedicated to representing survivors of sexual abuse, assault, and exploitation.
Speaking with our firm does not obligate you to take legal action. We offer free, confidential case evaluations so survivors and their families can learn about their rights, understand their potential legal options, and ask questions in a private, supportive setting.
You deserve to be heard. Healing is possible.
Contact us today.
Image sources: Alexander Colbath, courtesy of Manchester NH Police. Elliot Hospital in Manchester, New Hampshire, © Google, via Google Maps.
