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  Timeline: Dr. George Reardon Case

The Hartford Courant
October 14, 2009

http://www.courant.com/community/hartford/hc-reardon-timeline,0,3533720.story

1956: Reardon, a young doctor practicing in Albany, begins abusing a brother and sister, aged 5 and 7, according to a complaint the two file in 1987. The abuse continues until 1961, the complaint says.

1963: Reardon begins working at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford.

1964-65: Reardon sexually abuses a 6-year-old Wethersfield boy who is a patient at St. Francis, according to a civil lawsuit the alleged victim filed years later. The case results in a modest settlement.

1978: St. Francis appoints Reardon chief of endocrinology.

1987: The brother and sister file the first complaints with St. Francis against Reardon.

1989: A third complaint is filed by a Hartford woman who claims she was abused by Reardon in the mid-1970s, when she was 10.

1993: The Hartford County Medical Association brings a fourth complaint against Reardon on behalf of a woman who claims Reardon sexually molested her when she was 14.

July 1993: Reardon's medical license and hospital privileges are suspended when state health authorities file misconduct charges.

November 1993: The state medical examining board, by a 6-2 vote, reinstates Reardon's medical license with the condition that he not treat patients younger than 18 and not treat patients without another doctor or nurse present.

December 1993: Reardon retires from practicing medicine.

1994: FBI and federal prosecutors, using a grand jury, subpoena St. Francis records to obtain the names of all children Reardon treated in the previous five years. The hospital fights the subpoena on the basis of patient privacy, but loses. State prosecutors say they cannot pursue criminal charges against Reardon because none of the allegations fall within the statute of limitations for sexual abuse.

1994: St. Francis officials, including then-president and CEO David D'Eramo, and lawyers defending Reardon in state medical hearings say the allegations against Reardon are without merit. D'Eramo says that the complaints were "not substantiated" and that one was lodged by a patient "dissatisfied with his treatment results."

July 1995: Reardon signs a consent order with state health authorities and the medical board agreeing to never seek a medical license again in any state. The order alleges that Reardon took sexually explicit photos of minor patients and "inappropriately manipulated body parts" of children.

Sept. 6, 1998: Reardon, 68, a longtime chain smoker, dies of a heart attack.

May 20, 2007: During renovations, the current owner of Reardon's former home at 155 Griswold Drive in West Hartford discovers a huge cache of child pornography hidden behind basement wall panels.

Nov. 28, 2007: West Hartford police announce the discovery and say they will try to identify the victims, which would allow the prosecution of anyone found in possession of the pornographic images, which may have been shared with others.

December 2007: Former patients begin filing lawsuits against St. Francis, claiming hospital knew of abuse and did not stop it.

March 24, 2008: 135 plaintiffs, hospital agree to mediation.

March 26, 2009: As mediation drags on, lawmakers consider a proposal that would extend the statute of limitations in child sexual abuse in some cases. This bill would allow dozens more of Reardon's victims to seek damages.

April 3, 2009: The state legislature's judiciary committee fails to act on the proposal to extend the statute of limitations.

Oct. 7, 2009: Mediation breaks down.

Oct. 14, 2009: Lawsuit filed against the Hartford Archdiocese, claiming the religious organization shares responsibility for the Reardon abuse.

 
 

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