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	Hospital Offers to Settle with Local Abuse Victims West Hartford News November 20, 2010 http://www.westhartfordnews.com/articles/2010/11/20/news/doc4ce7726198c43878692100.txt St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center is offering settlements of up to $100,000 to 60 people, some from West Hartford, who allege they were sexually abused by a doctor. Dr. George Reardon, who died in 1998, is accused of molesting hundreds of children and taking explicit photos of them. He worked at the hospital for 30 years. Nearly 140 lawsuits claim St. Francis failed to adequately supervise Reardon or stop the abuse and covered up his crimes, according to the Associated Press. "I am pleased that the hospital is recognizing the struggles of the victims and the impact that Dr. Reardon has had on their lives," state Rep. Beth Bye, D-West Hartford, said in a statement. "I am encouraged that the two sides appear to be closer to reaching a mutually agreed upon settlement. This has been a very difficult time for both the victims and the hospital." Rep. Bye's involvement in the issue began in 2007 when constituents from her district who were patients of the late doctor began contacting her after explicit photos of children were discovered in his former West Hartford home. Earlier this year, she introduced legislation to eliminate the statute of limitations in civil cases involving child sex abuse, exploitation or assault. State law says child sex abuse victims must file their lawsuits by their 48th birthdays. As many as 50 of the victims are older than 48. The hospital says it is not involved in determining the amount of individual awards. "The victims of these crimes have not been looking to get rich, but rather they are seeking justice," Bye said. "The courage of these men and women in their struggle for justice should be commended." Reardon gained access to many children by claiming that he was conducting a growth study, according to The Hartford Courant. An attorney whose firm represents about 50 of the victims has said that it still remains difficult for victims to come forward. State health officials tried to revoke Reardon's medical license in 1993, and the hospital has said that this was when it first learned of the accusations against Reardon.
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