Indian-Origin Nurse Brutally Assaulted In Florida May Suffer Permanent Blindness: Report

Last Updated:March 04, 2025, 17:58 IST

Leelamma Lal, 67, was brutally assaulted by a patient in a Florida hospital as the latter repeatedly hit her with his fists and fractured every bone in her face.

Leelamma Lal, 67, was brutally assaulted by a patient in a Florida hospital. (Photo: X)

A 67-year-old Indian-origin nurse, who was brutally beaten by a patient in the Palms West Hospital in Florida, US, may end up with permanent blindness due to the severity of her injuries.

Leelamma Lal, 67, was brutally attacked by a psychiatric patient in the hospital and was admitted to intensive care. The accused, 33-year-old Stephen Scantlebury, has been charged with attempted second-degree murder and faces a hate crime enhancement. He remains in police custody without bail.

According to a statement by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, a team was dispatched to the scene, following which they determined that the male patient committed “aggravated battery" against the nurse, leaving her critically injured with broken bones in her face.

As per reports, witnesses told deputies that Scantlebury was in a hospital bed on the third floor when he suddenly jumped up on the bed and jumped on Lal, hitting her repeatedly with his fists and fracturing every bone in her face.

ALSO READ: Florida Patient Assaults Indian-Origin Nurse, Breaks ‘Essentially Every Bone’ In Her Face

Nurse In Stable Condition, Suffers Brain Bleed

Lal was admitted to St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach with a brain bleed and was reported to be in a stable condition. However, she may suffer from permanent blindness, reports indicate.

Stephen Scantlebury, born on April 30, 1991, fled from the hospital after the incident but was later arrested and charged with attempted murder and hate crime enhancement.

Sheriff’s Sergeant Beth Newcomb revealed the accused confessing: “Indians are bad. I just beat the s*** out of an Indian doctor," as per The Palm Beach Post. The accused was presented in court on Tuesday, where he pleaded not guilty.

Hate crime enhancements, if proven, can result in harsher penalties upon conviction. They highlight the motive behind the defendant’s actions and their broader impact on the community, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

‘Really Disappointed In The System’

Cindy Joseph, Lal’s daughter, said her mother 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," she was quoted as saying by CBS News.

She further said that Lal was speaking but woke up worried about being fired from work. “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," she added.

Joseph later told NewsNation that she was “really disappointed in the system" and said the incident was preventable. “My mom’s been working there for 20+ years; she’s devoted her entire career to the hospital. The fact that this happened at a health care facility which should have proper security is beyond me," she added.

Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

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