A 67-year-old Indian nurse who was attacked at Palms West Hospital by a patient may suffer permanent blindness due to her injuries. Leelamma Lal was beaten by Stephen Scantlebury, a 33-year-old man who was evaluated for mental health issues, which authorities claim was a racial attack.
The incident happened last month at Palms West Hospital in Loxahatchee. Witnesses told deputies that Scantlebury was in a hospital bed on the third floor when he suddenly jumped up on the bed and then jumped on Lal. Two other people were in the room at that time. One ran out to call for help before a second person ran in and saw Scantlebury on top of Lal, beating her repeatedly with his fists. Lal, a registered nurse, is in stable condition at St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach with a brain bleed.
She suffered serious injuries after the accused hit her repeatedly with his fists, fracturing every bone in her face. She may be permanently blind, according to reports.
The man, who fled from the hospital, was later arrested and charged with attempted murder charge and hate crime enhancement. Palm Beach County Deputy Sgt. Beth Newcomb testified to the authorities that Scantlebury made racist remarks, saying, "Indians are bad" and "I just beat the (expletive) out of an Indian doctor."
Dr. Cindy Joseph, whose mom, nurse Leelamma Lal, was brutally attacked at a Florida hospital, says she is "really disappointed in the system," calling the incident preventable.@TVAshleigh MORE: https://t.co/YWvjKhzhhR pic.twitter.com/8r0tTYmMv1
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Leelamma's daughter Dr Cindy Joseph told reporters that she will need surgery to repair her facial injuries and faces weeks of hospitalisation. "This is gonna forever change the rest of her future and she's 67. She has, with her health, a good at least 20 plus years left and she shouldn't have to spend them the way she's gonna have to spend them," Joseph was quoted by CBS 12.
She added that Leelamma was talking but was very confused and woke up worried about getting fired for not being at work. "She's very, very confused. I thought she might have remembered what happened, but I don't think she recalls it clearly. She thought she was at Palms West that day, she thought she was off, and she thought she was there for a doctor's appointment. So I don't think she recalls the assault very clearly, but maybe it'll come back with more time," she said.
According to the arrest affidavit the arrest affidavit, Scantlebury was a psychiatric patient on a Baker Act hold, a temporary involuntary hospital hold for people experiencing a mental health crisis. Scantlebury's wife, Megan, told the court that Scantlebury how her husband had been paranoid in the days leading up to the incident. She said he was hallucinating and feeling like he was being watched, even accusing herself and their neighbours of being involved.
