Nurse Brutally Attacked by Patient at Palm Beach Hospital: 911 Calls Reveal Frantic Pleas for Help

A horrific incident unfolded at Palms West Hospital in Palm Beach County when a nurse was brutally beaten by a patient, leading to frantic 911 calls for help. The suspect, 33-year-old Stephen Scantlebury, was charged with attempted second-degree murder, with an added hate crime enhancement.

According to police reports, the attack occurred on February 18 in a third-floor patient room, where Scantlebury, who was under the Baker Act—a Florida law allowing individuals experiencing mental health crises to be temporarily detained—assaulted the nurse, identified as Leelamma Lal. The distressing 911 calls, released on Tuesday, captured the chaos as hospital staff desperately sought assistance.

In one of the calls, a dispatcher inquired about the attack, asking, “Did he hurt someone with the scissors?” indicating that Scantlebury may have used a sharp object during the assault. The exact nature of Lal’s injuries has not been disclosed, but reports suggest she suffered severe wounds from the attack.

Authorities have not yet provided a motive for the assault, but the added hate crime enhancement suggests that investigators believe the attack was motivated by racial or religious bias. The hospital has since increased security measures, and staff members are calling for stronger protections for healthcare workers facing violence on the job.

Scantlebury remains in custody as legal proceedings move forward. The case has sparked discussions about the safety of medical professionals and the urgent need for improved protocols to prevent such violent incidents in healthcare settings.