NRI Leelamma Lal, nurse in Florida, Brutally Attacked by Patient
Los Angeles/Mar 03, 2025
NRIpress.club/Ramesh/A.Gary Singh
NRI Leelamma Lal,67, nurse in Florida, who has served at Palms West Hospital in Palm Beach for over 21 years, was brutally attacked by a patient on February 18, leaving her with severe facial fractures and likely blindness.
Stephen Scantlebury assaulted Lal in a hospital room after escaping from a CT scan area. Witnesses say he ran through the hospital before violently attacking Lal, using scissors to poke her eyes. He then fled naked across Southern Blvd. before being captured.
911 calls from inside the hospital described chaos, with visitors and staff barricading themselves in rooms. The hospital's CEO also called 911, stating that an employee had been knocked unconscious, later adding, "She’s probably going to die."
Scantlebury was arrested and charged with second-degree attempted murder with a hate crime enhancement. A witness reported that he had been acting paranoid for days before the attack. Lal’s daughter, Dr. Cindy Joseph, believes her mother was targeted due to her ethnicity and was unable to defend herself.
Lal remains in critical condition. Her family and legal team are questioning hospital security measures, particularly regarding how the Baker Act was handled in this case.
NRI community has expressed outrage over the attack, demanding justice and stronger protections for healthcare workers.
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