A 67-year-old Indian-origin nurse, Leela Lal, was severely beaten by a psychiatric patient at Palms West Hospital in Florida. The accused, 33-year-old Stephen Scantlebury, has been charged with attempted second-degree murder with a hate crime enhancement.
According to reports, the attack occurred on Tuesday while Scantlebury was being held under the Baker Act, a law that allows for involuntary hospitalisation of individuals experiencing mental health crises. Witnesses stated that Scantlebury was lying on his hospital bed on the third floor when he suddenly jumped up and launched a violent assault on Lal, punching her repeatedly, according to the arrest affidavit quoted by WPBF, a local news channel.
Details On The Brutal Attack
The assault was so vicious that Lal is expected to lose her eyesight. Nearly every bone in her face was fractured and she had to be airlifted to a trauma center for emergency treatment. The arrest affidavit confirmed the extent of her injuries, stating, “Essentially every bone in the victim’s face is broken, and the victim is likely to lose the use of both eyes.”