April 19, 2010 - Hospital Knew of Doctor Allegations

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The Delaware hospital where an accused pedophile pediatrician worked heard allegations of sexual misconduct 14 years ago but took no action, administrators say.

Dr. Earl B. Bradley is charged with raping and sexually abusing 103 young girls, and 18 lawsuits filed in the case threaten to bankrupt the Beebe Medical Center in Lewes, The (Wilmington, Del.) News Journal reported Monday.

The newspaper said hospital officials cleared Bradley in 1996 after a nurse who worked with Bradley at his Beebe office registered a complaint about him. The matter never went to the state medical disciplinary board and it wasn't brought to the attention of Milford police investigating other allegations against Bradley in 2005.

Police and prosecutors only found out about it after they had already charged him, The News Journal said. In the days after his Dec. 16 arrest, hospital officials had said they had no knowledge of any problems with Bradley.

Beebe Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey M. Fried disclosed to The News Journal that hospital officials did not inform Milford police. Fried revealed for the first time he was told about an even earlier investigation of Bradley by Pennsylvania authorities.

Fried said the hospital never investigated the Pennsylvania allegations and that Bradley had called them a "vendetta."

Bradley was never disciplined in Pennsylvania, licensing officials there told the newspaper.

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