A former pediatrician at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Howard Saal, age 73, is at the center of a burgeoning scandal after allegations emerged that he inappropriately touched and photographed children during medical appointments. Saal, who treated children with birth defects, was indicted on federal child pornography charges on July 14, though investigators have not linked the discovered abuse material to his patients as of yet. This information comes in the shadow of disturbing claims by outraged parents, as reported by LOCAL12.
In addition, the same former doctor is alleged to have taken nude photos of children, branding some “glamour shots” during examinations. A lawsuit expressing these concerns, which includes allegations of Saal touching children's private parts without medical necessity, was filed on August 15. Cincinnati's FOX19 obtained a copy of the lawsuit that states Saal, known for always having a Nikon camera around his neck, "always had a camera bag with him in the examining room." The allegations were corroborated by more than 50 individuals represented by attorney Alan Statman, as per FOX19's report.
Adding to these accusations, parents believe Saal used social media to coerce minors, including a 14-year-old lifelong patient, into sending sexually explicit photos and videos. The lawsuit claims the girl was manipulated into thinking she was messaging a boy from her school and faced threats of public exposure if she refused to continue. Although Saal is currently out on bond, the state medical board permanently revoked his medical license on August 13. He has not been charged with crimes related to the coercion of children on social media platforms, according to Cincinnati.com.
Attorneys representing the parents and former patients allege that concerns about Saal had been voiced long before these charges came to light, but were ignored by Cincinnati Children's Hospital. This claim is echoed in the lawsuit, which underscores past perceptions of Saal as "weird and kind of creepy," a sentiment overlooked, possibly due to the hospital's esteemed reputation. A class action lawsuit is currently in the works with the possibility that it may involve thousands of victims, as suggested by parents and attorneys. The hospital has refrained from commenting on the ongoing litigation, while attempts to reach Saal's attorneys for a statement have so far been unavailing.
