A 67-year-old Indian-origin nurse was repeatedly punched in the face by a patient at a Florida hospital in a possible hate crime that could lead to her losing her eyesight, local media has reported.
Nurse Leela Lal, also known as Leelamma Lal, was assaulted and 'every bone of her face broken' by Stephen Eric Scantlebury, a 33-year-old patient she was tending to in the psychiatric ward at the Palms West Hospital in West Palm Beach, Florida on February 18, police said.
In a local court, a police officer testified that a video clip showed Scantlebury saying, 'Indians are bad' and 'I just beat the (expletive) out of an Indian doctor', news channel WPTV.com said.
Scantlebury faces a charge of attempted second-degree murder in the attack and also faces a hate crime enhancement, which could result in harsher penalties if he is convicted, the media said.
WPTV.com reported after the incident that HCA Florida HealthCare, which runs the Palm West Hospital, said the attack occurred 'within a matter of seconds' and was 'witnessed by multiple people' and added that Lal was taken by helicopter to St Mary's Medical Centre in West Palm Beach.
WPTV said it received a video from a viewer that showed the suspect walking shirtless on a nearby prominent road with what looked to be ECG leads still attached to his chest, and it also showed hospital staff and law enforcement following the man onto the busy highway before the deputies took him into custody.
The probable cause affidavit filed by law enforcement described Lal's injury as 'critical' and said, 'Essentially every bone in the victim's face is broken and the victim is likely to lose the use of both eyes.'
Because of the extent of the victim's injuries, she was unable to provide a statement to investigators, the WPTV said.
Another WPTV report about the court proceedings on February 27 said that witnesses from the hospital, as well as responding deputies, took the stand and revealed that video from inside the hospital showed the victim was attacked in a roughly one to two-minute time frame.
'Following the attack, Palm Beach County Deputy Sgt Beth Newcomb testified that she observed Scantlebury saying, 'Indians are bad' and 'I just beat the (expletive) out of an Indian doctor',' it added.
Local media quoted Willa Fuller, the executive director of the Florida Nurses Association, as saying that their group has 'long been concerned' about the safety of nurses and is seeking 'substantive action' to prevent similar tragedies in the future. "We would like to see direct care nurses included in any initiatives related to violence against healthcare workers."
HCA Florida Healthcare said last week: "Our primary concern is with our beloved colleague and we are praying for her recovery. We are also providing support to our hospital staff who are understandably shaken by this incident."
Meanwhile, 'Scantlebury remains jailed' for the February 18 beating of Lal, 'with Judge Howard Coates ruling he is a danger to the community', WPBF 25 News, a local news channel, said on Tuesday evening.
"After the attack on Lal with his fists, Scantlebury fled Palms West Hospital, pleading with passing drivers to let him in, claiming nurses were trying to kill him," the newsportal said.
His wife, Megan Scantlebury, testified Thursday in his detention hearing that his paranoia began two days before the attack.
Although she also stated that her husband had never displayed mental health issues or aggression before, court records obtained by WPBF 25 News Investigative reporter showed that in 2018, Scantlebury was convicted of assault in Charlottetown, Canada, for punching his baby son's grandfather in the face and then slamming a car trunk on his head.
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