In the midst of one of the world’s most egregious child abuse scandals, the 56 year-old pediatrician, Dr. Earl Bradley of Lewes, Delaware has been charged with 471 felony counts of sex crimes of 103 child victims over nearly a decade. Earl Bradley’s indictment includes charges of rape, sexual exploitation of a child, unlawful sexual contact, assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and continuous sexual abuse of a child. Supplemental charges are expected as former patients and parents have been encouraged to divulge information crucial to the case.
After a complaint from a 2 year-old patient that he had hurt her, Bradley was arrested in December 2009 and eventually found to be charged with 29 felony counts for sexually abusing 9 children. Bradley’s detainment from this initial investigation allowed authorities to identify more victims from 13 hours of video footage and digital evidence seized from his home and BayBees Pediatrics practice. As far back as 1998, Bradley’s documentation of sex escapades with his patients depicts him performing sex acts as toddlers are held upside down, managing inappropriate vaginal examinations, as well as raping a girl. The victims, mainly girls with the exception of one boy, are all under 16 but are as young as 3 months old.
Many victims were repeatedly sexually assaulted. In fact, one girl was allegedly raped more than 15 times for over a year. “These were crimes committed against the most vulnerable among us, those without voices,” Attorney General Joseph Biden said. “They were committed by someone in whom the community and parents had placed their trust.” Indeed, Bradley’s examination room in the basement consisted of an assortment of toys and stuffed animals with Disney and Pinocchio decorations to make children more at ease with doctor visits. Evidently, he had also gained parent’s trust in taking patients to get toys, ice cream, and candy.
After informing investigators of Bradley’s inappropriate behavior with their children, several families have sued BayBees Pediatrics Center for failure to report his misconduct and follow up on suspicions. With licenses in Pennsylvania, Florida, and New Jersey, the Board of Medical Practice has since rescinded Bradley’s medical license permanently. Bradley’s attorney, Eugene Maurer, says he is going to focus on his mental health at the time of the incidents as defense. He is currently held with his bail set at $2.9 million. If convicted, Bradley faces life in prison without parole.
