Board temporarily suspends Lewes pediatrician’s license

Tuesday evening Delaware’s Board of Medical Practice voted to temporarily suspend the license of Dr. Earl Bradley, the pediatrician from Lewes who faces numerous child abuse charges.

Tuesday evening Delaware’s Board of Medical Practice voted to temporarily suspend the license of Dr. Earl Bradley, the pediatrician from Lewes who’s accused of abusing his young patients. 

Bradley was arrested December 16 and charged with 33 felony counts relating to seven victims, including 8 counts of first degree rape and 14 counts of sexual exploitation of a child.  Officials with the Attorney General’s office say there could be more than 100 potential victims.

Kay Warren, Deputy Director of Delaware’s Division of Profession Regulation, tells WHYY that a hearing at a later time would be necessary to consider full revokation of Bradley’s license.

Also Tuesday evening, families affected by the child abuse charges surrounding Bradley had a forum to ask questions and express concerns.

 Beebe Medical Center in Lewes will conduct a series of community meetings.

The meetings are scheduled to take place Dec. 29, Jan. 12 and Jan. 26 in the McCurry conference room in the Medical Arts Building at the Beebe Health Campus.

Beebe Medical Center Vice President of Corporate Affairs Wallace Hudson says anyone can attend.

“The purpose is to have counselors available for parents and others in the community who are upset about what’s been going on and a place for them to come and talk to people,” he said.

Bradley was not an employee at Beebe Medical Center, but was granted the privilege to practice pediatric medicine within Beebe Medical Center until Dec. 16, the day he was arrested.

As a doctor with “privileges”  Bradley has been allowed to use some of the hospital’s facilities for the last 15 years.

For example, “a child is admitted with pneumonia, or to attend the birth of a newborn,” Hudson said.

When asked if he was surprised at the sudden and numerous allegations connected to someone associated with the hospital for so long, Hudson couldn’t say much.

“Yes, it surprises me,” he said. “But I have to point out, and this sounds a little bit cold, but I have to tell you that there is still an ongoing criminal investigation. And so that we don’t compromise that investigation there are things we just cannot say.”

As part of that investigation all of Bradley’s patient medical records have been seized and stored at Beebe Medical Center.