WEST PALM BEACH, Florida — A West Palm Beach hospital where an unidentified juvenile masqueraded as a doctor denied that the juvenile had any contact with patients.
According to a statement from St. Mary’s Medical Center, employees were alerted to the juvenile’s behavior on Jan. 13 and they immediately called West Palm Beach police.
According to a West Palm Beach police incident report, a patient at the hospital said she expressed concern when a young male “who looked like a child” was in the exam room during a visit to the gynecology office. One of the OB/GYNs told police he did not know the juvenile and “questioned” his medical credentials.
Hospital officials deny this claim and maintain that the juvenile, whose age was redacted from the report, did not have contact with any of the patients.
“The individual never had contact with any hospital patients and did not gain access to any patient care areas of the hospital at any time,” the statement reads. “The hospital immediately notified local authorities, who took the individual into custody, and we are cooperating with their ongoing investigation. The safety and security of patients is our highest priority.”
A security guard said he had seen the juvenile around the hospital for at least a month, according to the report. The juvenile, who has not been arrested, was wearing a white lab coat with the St. Mary’s Medical Center logo on it and “anesthesiology” stitched on the front, according to the report.
Another security guard told police she had seen the boy gain access to secured areas of the hospital in the past week. Security footage showed the boy entering the lobby from the parking lot. Officers saw the car parked outside and could see a white lab coat on a hanger in the back seat.
The juvenile had multiple lab coats, police said, and often was seen with a stethoscope around his neck.
When questioned by police, the juvenile told police he’s been a doctor for years and that his family could vouch for him.
His mother told police he was suffering from an illness — undisclosed in the report — and was under the supervision of a doctor, but was refusing his medicine.
After meeting with hospital employees, police said they declined to charge the juvenile with a crime.