HOUSTON, Mar 5: An Indian-origin nurse, aged 67, suffered multiple facial injuries from repeated punches by a patient at a hospital in Florida. This incident is being investigated as a potential hate crime, with fears it may threaten her eyesight, local outlets report.
Nurse Leela Lal, also known as Leelamma Lal, endured severe assault from Stephen Eric Scantlebury, a 33-year-old patient under her care in the psychiatric unit of Palms West Hospital in West Palm Beach, Florida, on February 18, according to police reports.
In court, a law enforcement officer provided testimony explaining that video footage captured Scantlebury stating, ‘Indians are bad’ and ‘I just beat the (expletive) out of an Indian doctor,’ as reported by WPTV.com.
As a result of the attack, Scantlebury is charged with attempted second-degree murder, facing possible hate crime enhancements that could lead to more severe penalties if found guilty, according to the media.
Following the incident, HCA Florida HealthCare, which operates Palm West Hospital, informed that the assault happened “within seconds,” witnessed by numerous individuals, and emphasized that Lal was airlifted to St Mary’s Medical Centre in West Palm Beach.
WPTV also received footage showing the suspect walking without a shirt along a nearby major road, seemingly with ECG leads still attached to him, while hospital staff and law enforcement pursued him onto the busy highway before making an arrest.
The probable cause affidavit from law enforcement described Lal’s injuries as “critical,” stating, “Essentially every bone in the victim’s face is broken, and she is likely to lose the use of both eyes.”
Due to the severity of her injuries, Lal was unable to provide a statement to investigators, as reported by WPTV.
A subsequent report by WPTV on the court hearings on February 27 detailed that witnesses from the hospital and responding deputies testified that video footage indicated the attack lasted roughly one to two minutes.
“After the assault, Palm Beach County Deputy Sgt Beth Newcomb reported hearing Scantlebury declare, ‘Indians are bad’ and ‘I just beat the (expletive) out of an Indian doctor,’” it was mentioned.
Local news cited Willa Fuller, executive director of the Florida Nurses Association, expressing ongoing concerns regarding nurse safety and advocating for “substantive action” to avert future incidents. “We want direct care nurses included in any efforts regarding violence against healthcare workers.”
HCA Florida Healthcare stated last week, “Our main focus is on our cherished colleague, and we are praying for her swift recovery. We are also extending support to our hospital staff, who are understandably unsettled by this event.”
Meanwhile, Scantlebury remains in custody for the February 18 assault on Lal, with Judge Howard Coates declaring him a danger to the community, according to WPBF 25 News.
“After attacking Lal with his fists, Scantlebury fled from Palms West Hospital, attempting to persuade passing drivers to assist him, claiming nurses were trying to kill him,” reported the news portal.
During his detention hearing, his wife, Megan Scantlebury, testified that her husband’s paranoia began just two days before the incident.
Though she stressed that he had not previously displayed issues with aggression or mental health, court documents examined by WPBF 25 News Investigative Reporter reveal that Scantlebury was convicted of assault in 2018 in Charlottetown, Canada, for attacking his baby son’s grandfather.
