"No Deficiencies" - Inspectors Clear Palms West Hospital After Nurse’s Brutal Attack

Disclaimer: This article includes discussions of violence and contains graphic images that may be disturbing to some readers. Viewer discretion is advised.

>> A GoFundMe account has been set up for Nurse Leela

Update 3/12/2025

Nurse Leelamma Lal of HCA Florida Palms West Hospital in Loxahatchee, Florida, sustained horrific and life-altering injuries after being attacked by a patient on February 18, 2025. The patient was identified as 33-year-old Stephen Scantlebury from Wellington.

In light of the attack and ongoing legal actions, state inspectors visited HCA Florida Palms West Hospital approximately one week after the incident. Their report found "no deficiencies" at the hospital. 

HCA told local news WPBF that they are opening a dedicated workstation for police deputies at the hospital beginning Thursday, March 10th. 

Update 3/4/25

New details have emerged regarding the attack. During a pre-trial detention hearing, Palm Beach County Deputy Sgt. Beth Newcomb testified that after the attack, the accused, Scantlebury, allegedly made racist remarks during the 2-minute assault, stating, 

• "Indians are bad"
• "I just beat the (expletive) out of an Indian doctor."

The victim’s daughter, Cindy Joseph, provided a harrowing account of her mother’s injuries, describing extensive trauma: "She had subdural and sporadic bleeding of the brain, the right side of her face was fully fractured. ... She was intubated and unconscious, with severe bruising and swelling around her eyes. I didn’t even recognize her." She continued, "She had no chance to defend herself as she was viciously attacked by this man twice her size as he hurled ethnic slurs at her."

Scantlebury’s wife testified that in the days leading up to the attack, he exhibited signs of paranoia, believing their home was “bugged.” However, at the time of the incident, he was not hospitalized for mental health concerns.

Additionally, his attorney, Scott Simmons, requested that he be transferred to a mental health facility. "Somewhere that's actually equipped to handle his mental health issue that he's obviously going through right now. The jail is not the best place for that." The judge denied the request, deeming it “premature.”

Scantlebury is now facing charges of attempted second-degree murder with a hate crime enhancement.

Update 2/25/25

Nurse Leela's daughter shared a statement on Facebook and is asking for the nursing community's support: 

"Hello everyone,

I am the daughter of a nurse who was severely attacked on February 18 at HCA Palms West in West Palm Beach by a patient twice her size. We have retained a legal team to seek justice for my mom.

I am reaching out to ask for your help. If you have any information or contacts—especially health care workers — with experience regarding the HCA hospital system, particularly at Palms West, please get in touch. Specifically, I’m looking for details on:

• Employee safety concerns, especially if staff have felt unsafe at work
• Past experiences with Baker Act patients and the procedures used to handle them
• Information regarding the hospital’s security measures (or lack thereof)

Any additional insights would be greatly appreciated. Please send me a private message or email justiceforleela@gmail.com if you have anything that might help.

Below is a photo of my mom on the day of the attack. She remains in critical condition but is stable.

Please feel free to share on your page and post in other groups, especially health care groups."

Palms West Hospital CEO Email

The CEO of Palms West Hospital sent an email to staff today addressing the brutal attack. A copy of the email is below: 

"Dear Colleagues,

I want to take a moment to acknowledge the deep pain and concern we all are feeling in the wake of the recent attack on our beloved nurse, Leela. Knowing that our colleague has been the victim of this kind of unprovoked, senseless violence is difficult for all of us and for me personally as CEO. Our thoughts are with her during her journey of recovery, and we know many of you are keeping her in your prayers. Leela remains in the ICU and is off the ventilator. Her family tells us they are appreciative of the outpouring of support, and your collective well-wishes and prayers are helping them through this difficult time.

No healthcare worker should ever have to experience such violence. As the police report details, this attack happened in a matter of seconds. As a former paramedic, I am proud that our care team immediately focused their attention on getting Leela to the ER. Knowing she was being cared for, we quickly notified the police to ensure the attacker was captured and did not hurt anyone else. I am extremely thankful that the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office acted quickly to detain the attacker and no further harm was done.

Like you, I am asking how this could have happened. Within 24 hours, we conducted a thorough interdisciplinary review of the incident, led by our quality, patient safety, and security teams and found that all our procedures and policies were followed. Additionally, AHCA visited the facility yesterday and did not require any corrections to policies or procedures from the incident. This was an unspeakable act of violence, and we stand firmly behind the pursuit of justice.

I understand that this attack evokes strong emotions for our Palms West colleagues and healthcare workers across the country. Our Palms West leadership team is fully focused on making sure you feel safe, valued, and supported — today and every day. We have implemented the following resources at this time:

• We will continue to host discussions and town hall meetings to talk openly about this situation and to hear from you about workplace safety. I am also conducting daily office hours if you prefer to speak with me in private.
• Counseling services and peer support are available through the EAP. Father Gabriel, the director of pastoral care for HCA East Florida Division, will be at Palms West Hospital offering spiritual and emotional support services.

At HCA Healthcare, we have a zero-tolerance policy for workplace violence. While we have taken significant steps, such as increasing physical security measures and implementing our Workplace Violence Prevention efforts, this incident makes it clear: more must be done. We encourage you to get involved in advocating for the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act. If passed, this legislation would make violence against caregivers a federal crime.

Please click here to send a letter to federal lawmakers urging them to quickly enact the SAVE Act.

Our mission is to care for people in their most vulnerable moments — including our own colleagues.
We must be united in our commitment to safety, respect, and support for one another."

>> Nurses, Have you experienced violence at work? Take this short survey and make your voice heard. - click here

Update 2/24/25

Newly released 911 calls from inside Palms West Hospital reveal the panic and chaos during and after the brutal attack on nurse Leelama Lal. But what’s even more shocking is the response from a hospital administrator.

Hospital Administrator: "We had a Baker Act beat a staff member unconscious, now running around the building."

911 Dispatcher: "You said they assaulted the employee until they passed out?"
Hospital Administrator: "Yeah, unconscious. I'm not worried about that part. I need the Baker Act dealt with."

As the dispatcher sought more details, the administrator added a chilling remark:

"I'm not sure—she's probably going to die."

Read the rest of the 911 transcripts here. 

Update 2/20/2025

A hate-crime enhancement has been added to Stephen Scantlebuy's charges and could possibly result in a harsher penalty. Scantlebury was arrested after violently attacking a nurse at Palm West Hospital on February 18.,2025. Scantlebury allegedly referenced the nurse's ethnicity while attacking her which led to the hate-crime enhancement, investigators told local news. 

Update 2/19/2025

According to the Palm Beach Sherrif's office website, Stephen Scantlebury is facing "Homicide - Murder Dangerous Depraved Without Premeditation" charges after violently attacking a nurse. 

pbso.org

Nurse.org will continue to update this article as more details are released.

Original Article:

A nurse at HCA Florida Palms West Hospital in Loxahatchee, Florida, sustained horrific injuries after being attacked by a patient on February 18, 2025. The patient was identified as 33-year-old Stephen Scantlebury from Wellington.

Details of the Assault

The attack occurred around 1:20 p.m. in a third-floor patient room. Scantlebury, who was under the care of the nurse due to Florida’s Mental Health Act (a.k.a. Baker Act), suddenly jumped from his bed and assaulted her. Witnesses reported that he repeatedly struck the nurse in the face before fleeing the scene.

The nurse was airlifted to St. Mary's Medical Center because of the severity of her injuries. Medical reports indicate that “Essentially every bone” in her face was broken, and she is “likely to lose the use of both eyes.”

Arrest of the Suspect

After the assault, Scantlebury fled the hospital premises. He was apprehended by Palm Beach County Sheriff's deputies on Southern Boulevard, where a deputy used a stun gun to subdue him.

Stephen Scantlebury

Scantlebury, who has no prior criminal history in Palm Beach County, now faces charges of second-degree murder. Following the attack, he was seen walking shirtless on Southern Boulevard with EKG leads still attached to his chest before being apprehended by law enforcement.

Hospital and Community Response

HCA Florida Healthcare released a statement for their injured colleague, stating: “Our primary concern is with our beloved colleague, and we are praying for her recovery. We are also providing support to our hospital staff who are understandably shaken by this incident. The attack on our nursing colleague happened within a matter of seconds and was witnessed by multiple people who came to assist. We are grateful to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office who acted to detain the suspect, and we are assisting law enforcement in their investigation.”

The Florida Nurses Association emphasized the need for enhanced safety measures to protect healthcare workers from such violent acts. Executive director, Willa Fuller, said: “People that are caring for you in the hospital are not targets and should not be seen as somebody that is OK to abuse… Almost every nurse has probably experienced some kind of violence in her career, at least once and probably more often.”

Next Steps with the Case

Scantlebury is scheduled for his initial court appearance on February 25, 2025. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are working to determine the motive behind the unprovoked attack. As the legal process unfolds, there is a renewed call for measures to ensure the safety and well-being of medical staff.

Nurse.org will continue to update this article as the case unfolds.

🤔Nurses, have you experienced violence at work? Share your thoughts in the comments below!