Three additional women are accusing a longtime California physician of sexual misconduct after officials were made aware of several other sexual misconduct allegations against him, according to a Los Angeles Times report.
The women filed a federal lawsuit Oct. 10 against Patrick Sutton, MD, alleging the obstetrician at Pasadena, Calif.-based Huntington Hospital made unwanted sexual remarks during visits in the 1990s, the report states.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, marks the latest sexual misconduct allegations against Dr. Sutton. Earlier this month, the physician lost his leadership role in Huntington Hospital's obstetrics and gynecology department after officials learned of multiple sexual misconduct allegations against him.
In the most recent lawsuit, three women accuse Dr. Sutton of sexual misconduct, according to the report. All three women had babies at the hospital. The women's lawyers allege Dr. Sutton made lewd comments and groped one of the plaintiffs during a 1999 postpartum visit, the report states. They also allege he instructed another plaintiff suffering from a migraine during pregnancy to "masturbate in order to make the blood rush to her head" and report back to him.
A previous complaint filed by the Medical Board of California alleged Dr. Sutton examined a patient in 2016 and made inappropriate remarks about the patient's body. According to the report, that allegation is still pending.
At least two other complaints against Dr. Sutton have surfaced, alleging sexual misconduct during exams in 1998 and 2008. Dr. Sutton entered into agreements with the medical board regarding those cases and was placed on probation. Additionally, two other women in a 2005 lawsuit accused Dr. Sutton of sexual harassment. Dr. Sutton settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount, according to the report.
Regarding the most recent lawsuit filed this week, a Huntington Hospital spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times administrators were reviewing the allegations.
"Huntington Hospital takes seriously all issues of patient health and safety," the spokesperson said.
Dr. Sutton's attorney did not immediately respond to a request from the Los Angeles Times for comment on the lawsuit's allegations.
Alyssa Rege contributed to this report.
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