Teen from Netflix's "Take Care of Maya" Files Criminal Complaint Against Hospital for Sexual Abuse
Nov 14, 2023, 12:00 PM
Maya Kowalski, the 17-year-old at the center of the popular Netflix documentary "Take Care of Maya," has filed a criminal complaint against Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg. Maya alleges sexual abuse during her hospitalization, which adds to the hospital's recent legal troubles.
Maya's attorney, Greg Anderson, confirmed that she submitted the complaint to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s department, citing incidents of assault and battery that occurred between October 8 and October 13, 2016, during her stay at the hospital. This development follows a Florida jury's ruling in a medical malpractice case that found the hospital liable for a series of wrongdoings.
In the medical malpractice case, the jury determined that the hospital wrongly separated Maya from her mother, Beata Kowalski, who subsequently took her own life. As a result, the hospital is now facing substantial damages amounting to $261 million. The jury's award included compensation for multiple offenses, such as subjecting Maya to 48 hours of continuous video surveillance and having her undress down to shorts and a training bra for a photograph. Additionally, it was found that a hospital staffer engaged in misconduct by kissing 10-year-old Maya and having her sit on their lap.
Attorney Greg Anderson revealed that Maya had suppressed the memory of the alleged sexual abuse until approximately four weeks ago when she disclosed it to the psychiatrists who treated her during her time at the hospital. In response to these allegations, the hospital released a statement through its attorneys, stating, "These allegations originally arose during trial and were not admitted into the case. As soon as the hospital became aware of the allegations, and in accordance with their policies, they immediately initiated an internal investigation and contacted law enforcement last month. Federal privacy laws restrict Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital from sharing more, but the hospital takes allegations of this nature very seriously and always puts the safety of their patients above all else."
Maya Kowalski's hospitalization at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in October 2016 was prompted by her mother, Beata Kowalski, seeking treatment for her daughter's painful neurological condition known as Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome. Beata advocated for aggressive ketamine treatment, a method she believed had previously provided relief for Maya's symptoms. However, medical professionals at the hospital grew suspicious of Beata's demands, ultimately diagnosing her with Munchausen by proxy syndrome, a condition where a parent exaggerates or fabricates their child's symptoms for attention.
Throughout the trial, Maya testified that hospital staff had dismissed her condition as imaginary and had not taken her pain seriously. The hospital reported suspected child abuse to Florida child welfare authorities, leading to an investigation that resulted in Maya being made a medical ward of the state, separating her from her family. Tragically, Beata Kowalski took her own life in their family home's garage three months later.
As Maya continues to grapple with the aftermath of her experiences, her criminal complaint against the hospital adds another layer of complexity to the legal and ethical questions surrounding her treatment and the hospital's responsibilities.
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Maya's attorney, Greg Anderson, confirmed that she submitted the complaint to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s department, citing incidents of assault and battery that occurred between October 8 and October 13, 2016, during her stay at the hospital. This development follows a Florida jury's ruling in a medical malpractice case that found the hospital liable for a series of wrongdoings.
In the medical malpractice case, the jury determined that the hospital wrongly separated Maya from her mother, Beata Kowalski, who subsequently took her own life. As a result, the hospital is now facing substantial damages amounting to $261 million. The jury's award included compensation for multiple offenses, such as subjecting Maya to 48 hours of continuous video surveillance and having her undress down to shorts and a training bra for a photograph. Additionally, it was found that a hospital staffer engaged in misconduct by kissing 10-year-old Maya and having her sit on their lap.
Attorney Greg Anderson revealed that Maya had suppressed the memory of the alleged sexual abuse until approximately four weeks ago when she disclosed it to the psychiatrists who treated her during her time at the hospital. In response to these allegations, the hospital released a statement through its attorneys, stating, "These allegations originally arose during trial and were not admitted into the case. As soon as the hospital became aware of the allegations, and in accordance with their policies, they immediately initiated an internal investigation and contacted law enforcement last month. Federal privacy laws restrict Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital from sharing more, but the hospital takes allegations of this nature very seriously and always puts the safety of their patients above all else."
Maya Kowalski's hospitalization at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in October 2016 was prompted by her mother, Beata Kowalski, seeking treatment for her daughter's painful neurological condition known as Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome. Beata advocated for aggressive ketamine treatment, a method she believed had previously provided relief for Maya's symptoms. However, medical professionals at the hospital grew suspicious of Beata's demands, ultimately diagnosing her with Munchausen by proxy syndrome, a condition where a parent exaggerates or fabricates their child's symptoms for attention.
Throughout the trial, Maya testified that hospital staff had dismissed her condition as imaginary and had not taken her pain seriously. The hospital reported suspected child abuse to Florida child welfare authorities, leading to an investigation that resulted in Maya being made a medical ward of the state, separating her from her family. Tragically, Beata Kowalski took her own life in their family home's garage three months later.
As Maya continues to grapple with the aftermath of her experiences, her criminal complaint against the hospital adds another layer of complexity to the legal and ethical questions surrounding her treatment and the hospital's responsibilities.
Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
The latest on Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com