Earl Bradley

Earl Bradley (born May 10, 1953) is a former pediatrician who was convicted of multiple counts of sexual abuse of his patients in Lewes, Delaware, United States. His case is considered one of the worst instances of serial child molestation by a pediatrician in American history.

Early Life and Education

Bradley was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the Temple University School of Medicine in 1983 and completed his residency in pediatrics at the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

Career

Bradley opened his pediatric practice, BayBees Pediatrics, in Lewes, Delaware, in 1994. He was known for his eccentric office, which included a carousel and a Ferris wheel. However, his practice was also the site of his crimes.

Crimes and Conviction

Bradley was arrested in December 2009 after a two-year investigation by the Delaware State Police. He was charged with 471 counts of sexual crimes against 103 children, all patients at his practice. The evidence against him included more than 13 hours of video footage, which Bradley had recorded himself. In August 2010, he was indicted on 14 counts of rape, 24 counts of unlawful sexual contact, and 14 counts of continuous sexual abuse of a child.

In June 2011, Bradley was found guilty on all charges. He was sentenced to 14 life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus 165 years in prison.

Aftermath

The Bradley case led to significant changes in Delaware law. The Delaware General Assembly passed a series of bills aimed at improving the reporting of child abuse and increasing oversight of medical professionals.

See Also

• Child sexual abuse
• Pediatrics
• Sexual abuse