Queens survivor sues Rockefeller University for ignoring sex abuse by notorious doctor
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Survivors of childhood sex abuse hug during a sex abuse prevention summit at the Vatican earlier this year. AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia.
By David Brand
For decades, renowned physician Reginald Archibald sexually abused the boys in his care at Rockefeller University Hospital.
A lawsuit filed Aug. 14 in Queens Supreme Court by one of Archibald’s victims claims Rockefeller University knew about that abuse and did nothing to stop it. The plaintiff, identified as W.F.L., filed the civil complaint under the state’s new Child Victims Act, which lifts statutes of limitations and enables survivors of childhood sexual abuse to sue their abusers no matter when the abuse occurred.
Archibald groped, fondled and photographed W.F.L. during biannual visits from 1963 to 1968, according to the complaint.
“At all relevant times RU, through its employees and agents, knew that Dr. Archibald, under its supervision and control, was sexually inappropriate with minor male patients,” the complaint states.
The abuse began during the very first visit, when, according to the lawsuit, “while no one else was present in the examination room, Dr. Archibald instructed W. F. L. to remove his clothing [and] proceeded to take photographs of W.F.L's naked body including his genitalia.”
A survivor of childhood sexual abuse has sued Rockefeller University in Queens Supreme Court for allegedly ignoring years of abuse by a pediatrician. Photo by Ajay Suresh/Flickr.
Archibald continued to fondle and assault W.F.L. during his next ten visits, until W.F.L. informed his mother of the abuse, the lawsuit continues.
Attorney Jeff Herman represents W.F.L and said his client was “standing up for his inner child” by filing the complaint.
“At 5, he didn’t have a voice,” Herman said. “He was powerless and now he’s taking the power back.”
Archibald treated children with growth issues from 1948 and 1982, coming into close contact with thousands of young boys, several of whom have sued Rockefeller University for abuse in courts around the state. Archibald died in 2007.
“Many, many of our clients lived in Queens,” said attorney Jennifer Freeman with Marsh Law Firm, which represents several plaintiffs who claim Rockefeller University did not stop Archibald from sexually abusing and assaulting them. “There are a lot of immigrants, low-income families. The doctor was preying on them, and many of them lived in Queens.”
The lawsuit against Rockefeller University was one of six civil complaints filed in Queens Supreme Court on the first day of the CVA.
“Rockefeller University is committed to acting responsibly and working constructively with former patients of Dr. Archibald,” Rockefeller University said in a statement. “We profoundly apologize to his patients who experienced pain and suffering as a result of his reprehensible conduct.”
