A violent attack on a nurse at HCA Palms West Hospital has led to the arrest of Stephen Eric Scantlebury, 33, who now faces charges of attempted second-degree murder. The incident occurred on February 18, 2024, around 1:20 p.m. at the hospital in Loxahatchee, Florida.
According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO), Scantlebury, a patient under the Baker Act, attacked the nurse by jumping on his bed and striking her repeatedly in the face. The nurse sustained severe injuries, including nearly every bone in her face being broken and a high likelihood of losing the use of both eyes. Due to the severity of her injuries, she was airlifted to St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach for urgent care.
Witnesses and hospital staff, including multiple nurses, observed the attack, which was captured on the hospital’s surveillance system. A cellphone video obtained by CBS12 News shows Scantlebury walking outside on Southern Boulevard before being taken into custody by law enforcement. Witnesses noted Scantlebury had displayed paranoid behavior in the days leading up to the attack.
HCA Florida Healthcare has expressed support for the injured nurse and commended the swift response of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office in handling the situation. They also acknowledged the ongoing investigation.
While the motive remains unclear, authorities stated that Scantlebury’s actions were “imminently dangerous” and carried out with a depraved disregard for human life. A major question surrounding the case is why Scantlebury, a Baker Act patient, was at Palms West Hospital, which is not a designated Baker Act receiving facility. This has raised concerns about the handling of mental health cases, as Palms West is not equipped to treat patients under the Baker Act.
Mental health professionals, including Mark Astor, a Baker Act attorney, have expressed concerns over the facility’s lack of designation for psychiatric care, questioning whether there were no available beds at appropriate facilities. Palm Beach County has struggled with mental health care availability following the closure of the Jerome Golden Center for Behavioral Health in 2019, leading to increased pressure on available resources.
In light of the attack, workplace violence in hospitals has come under scrutiny, with experts highlighting an increasing risk for nurses. Jane Thomason of National Nurses United emphasized the anxiety that many nurses face, knowing that violence could be part of their job. Dr. Daniel Bober, a psychiatrist, stated that nurses in specialized psychiatric facilities are better equipped to handle violent patients due to specialized training and controlled environments.
The incident has sparked renewed calls for better mental health care infrastructure and improved safety measures in hospitals across Palm Beach County.
