Dr. Reginald Archibald, a pediatrician who used to work at the Rockefeller University Hospital, allegedly sexually abused more than 1,000 young patients as children over a period spanning nearly four decades.

Although Dr. Archibald died in 2007, many former patients, now adults, have come forward with allegations that the pediatric endocrinologist sexually abused them and otherwise engaged in inappropriate behaviors that were not medically necessary or part of the standard treatment of care for minor patients while he was employed by the Rockefeller University Hospital from the 1940s through 1982.

Investigation Concludes Dr. Archibald Sexually Abused Patients

In response to a March 2018 complaint from a former patient, the Rockefeller University Hospital commissioned a law firm to investigate patients’ complaints against Dr. Archibald. The report, which was completed in May 2019, concluded that Dr. Archibald “engaged in acts of sexual misconduct and sexual abuse toward many of his pediatric patients” while he was employed at the Rockefeller University Hospital.

Law firm Debevoise & Plimpton LLP reviewed the allegations in the 2018 complaint along with allegations from three other former patients and concluded that Dr. Archibald had engaged in sexual abuse with each of the former patients as children. In addition, they concluded that Dr. Archibald had likely engaged in sexual misconduct and sexual abuse with a number of unidentified former patients.

In October 2018, Rockefeller University Hospital reached out to former patients of Dr. Archibald to ask if they had information to share with investigators. More than 900 individuals reportedly contacted Debevoise & Plimpton to provide information about their experiences or to provide information on behalf of others who may have been subject to sexual abuse by Dr. Archibald.

“Based upon all of the information collected, it is clear that Archibald, taking advantage of his position as a trusted and respected physician and researcher, engaged in a widespread pattern of misconduct and sexually abused many children at the Hospital over the course of many years when offering patients medical care and treatment,” the report states.

As a pediatric endocrinologist, it was a reasonably accepted practice at the time to perform certain types of examinations of children’s developing bodies, including noting the appearance of breasts, noting genital measurements, and taking photographs of nude patients to document sexual maturation.

However, a number of former patients reported that Dr. Archibald engaged in sexual misconduct during examinations, such as fondling patients, pulling on erect penises, brushing against patients’ genitals with his face, and touching nude patients without a medically relevant reason while they were sitting on his lap.

Rockefeller University Hospital Reaches Settlement with 200 Victims

According to the report, the Rockefeller University Hospital had received many complaints about Archibald since at least the early 1960s.

“What’s most outrageous is they knew going back for decades about this man, and what they did is typical of large institutions: They protected the institution over the safety and welfare of the children,” attorney Paul Mones told BuzzFeed News in May 2019. He is representing 200 of Dr. Archibald’s former patients.

The Rockefeller University Hospital has reached settlements with more than 200 victims, the New York Post reported in August 2019. The details of these settlements have not been made public.

The New York Child Victims Act

The New York Child Victims Act extends the amount of time that those who have suffered from childhood sexual abuse can file a lawsuit against an individual or organization. For a limited period of time after the CVA was introduced, survivors whose claims were previously barred by the statute of limitations have a look back window through which they can pursue litigation, regardless of how many years or decades ago the abuse took place. The look back window was extended until August 14, 2021.

Even after the look back window closes, the Child Victims Act has expanded the statute of limitations in New York so that sexual abuse survivors now have until age 28 to bring criminal charges against alleged abusers, compared with the previous cut-off age of 23. Survivors also have until age 55 to sue for monetary damages, also compared to the previous cut-off of 23.

So far, hundreds of former patients have turned to litigation against the Rockefeller University Hospital and Rockefeller University, alleging the institutions were aware of abuse committed by Dr. Archibald for decades, but failed to adequately protect youth.

If you or a loved one were sexually abused by Dr. Archibald at Rockefeller University Hospital, you may qualify to join a Rockefeller University Hospital sexual abuse lawsuit investigation. Submit your information now for a free case review.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.