A Massachusetts General Hospital medical assistant is accused of conducting an unauthorized exam on a patient.
Leonardo Hernandez, 29, of Jamaica Plain, was arraigned Monday on one count of indecent assault and battery, according to the Suffolk District Attorney's Office. He was released on personal recognizance bail and ordered to stay away from the location of the offense. He is due back in court on July 24 for a pretrial hearing.
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Boston police took a report on April 12 about an incident that occurred at Mass General Dermatology, the district attorney's office said. The victim said she had gone to the unit several weeks earlier to seek medical attention. When her doctor exited the room, there was a knock on the door, accompanied by a man's voice. A man the victim recognized from previous appointments then entered the room.
The man, later identified by Hernandez, asked the victim if she would like to have a skin examination due to a possible condition on her foot. The victim said if the exam was necessary then she would like to have it. She assumed the doctor had requested the exam.
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Hernandez gave the victim a hospital gown and left the room, closing the door behind him, authorities said. He then quickly reentered the room before she had a chance to remove her clothes. He remained in the room as the victim removed her jeans and began examining her.
The victim said Hernandez went down to the floor and started touching her right leg, running his fingers up her leg. He then raised her undergarment, exposing her buttocks, and repeated this on the left side, prosecutors said. He told the victim he was conducting a normal exam and he would need to check her abdomen with both hands. He then requested to see the victim's breast four times, but she declined. He then attempted to pull the victim's hospital gown down and then left the room when the victim refused again.
The next day, the victim contacted her doctor to ask if she had ordered any follow-up exams, and the doctor told the victim she had not and that this type of exam was not within Hernandez's job description.
"I commend this victim for speaking up when she determined that this situation was just not right," Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden said. "All patients are entitled to safe and ethical treatment during their medical appointments."
