Doctor Accused of Raping & Killing Woman Lured With Craigslist Ad

DELAWARE, Ohio (CN) - A doctor lured a pregnant woman to his home with a Craigslist ad for a house cleaner, then injected her with a fatal dose of heroin and raped her, the woman's sister claims in court.

Cynthia Skoda sued Dr. Ali Salim, on behalf of her sister, the late Deanna Darnell Huston aka Deanna Ballman, and "her viable fetus, Mabel," in Delaware County Court.

She also sued Knox Community Hospital, Knox Emergency Services, Craigslist, and their insurers.

Salim lives in New Albany, Ohio. He has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping, raping and killing Huston and her fetus, according to the Newark Advocate newspaper. His criminal trial has been set for Oct. 29.

Deanna Huston was nine months pregnant and separated from her husband. She supported herself by cleaning and doing other odd jobs "until she could obtain full-time employment following the birth of her child, whom she had decided to name Mabel," her sister says in the lawsuit.

Huston responded to Salim's Craiglist ad on July 31, 2012, Skoda says in the complaint. She was nine months pregnant and due to deliver any day.

"After arriving at defendant Ali Salim's home on or about July 31, 2012, plaintiff contends defendant Dr. Salim injected Deanna Darnell Huston with heroin with syringes and other medical supplies he obtained from the course of his employment with defendants Knox Community Hospital and/or Knox Emergency Services, LLC," the complaint states.

It adds: "As a direct and proximate result of the injection of heroin into her leg, Deanna Darnell Huston lost consciousness. While unconscious, Deanna Darnell Huston was raped by defendant Ali Salim.

"As a direct and proximate result of the injection of heroin into her leg by defendant Dr. Salim, the level of heroin caused organ failure, including but not limited to respiratory and circulatory failure, leading to the death of Deanna Darnell Huston and her viable fetus, Mabel.

"The body of Deanna Darnell Huston with viable fetus was found in the back seat of her automobile in southern Delaware County, Ohio, on or about August 1, 2012."

According to the Newark Advocate newspaper: "Women who previously answered ads placed by Salim reported being accosted, sexually assaulted or asked to be alone in the house while he painted the human digestive system on their abdomens."

Skoda seeks punitive damages for wrongful death, negligence, medical negligence and intentional tort.

She is represented by Gregory Helser, and Jack Carney-Debord, both of Granville, Ohio.

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