In connection with abuse that authorities claim occurred at the facility years ago, a former medical director of a Virginia hospital that treats fragile children has been charged with four felony sex crimes.
According to court records, a grand jury last month charged Dr Daniel N. Davidow of Richmond, a former long-time employee of the Cumberland Hospital for Children and Adolescents.
The Associated Press was emailed by Robert F. Donnelly, an attorney for Davidow, who stated that “we are still learning specifics and facts, so we are not in a position to comment.”
The facility, which is in New Kent County a half-drive hour east of the state capital, provides specialized medical care for kids and teenagers with conditions that include chronic illnesses, brain traumas, and neurobehavioral problems.
Since 2017, the Virginia State Police have been looking into hospital employees. Additionally, the facility is the target of legal lawsuits alleging that it operated without the required authorization and lacked “basic decency or humanity.”
Throughout at least two gubernatorial administrations, the lawsuits and other concerns from patients’ parents about the hospital, which have been highlighted by relentless reporting from Richmond TV station WTVR, have raised worries at the highest levels of state government.
More than thirty former female patients have filed legal complaints, claiming Davidow violated them sexually while performing physical exams. Davidow has previously refuted the charges in court filings and via a lawyer.
Attorney Kevin Biniazan said on Friday that he had confirmed the indictments were related to the claims made by two of his clients, who are the former patients in the civil action.
“The first thing that’s in my mind — and probably in the minds of all my clients — is that this was a long time coming,” he said. “And in many ways, I hope that it provides the public and my clients a sense of validation. … They’ve been doubted, and I think in many ways discouraged, from coming forward in many instances.”
The day before he was scheduled to appear in court for a plea hearing, a 72-year-old psychotherapist who had been accused of sexually assaulting a patient committed suicide.
The other, a behavioural technician, was given a year in prison in December after entering a no-contest plea to the charge that she purposefully burnt a disabled child with hot water.
