JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two corpsmen at Naval Hospital Jacksonville were removed from patient care Sunday after photos surfaced on social media of inappropriate behavior with a newborn baby.
The Snapchat post had a caption reading, "How I currently feel about these mini Satans." The post also said the "navy nurse" and her friend made a baby dance to rap music playing in the background.
The Navy confirmed to News4Jax that two women corpsmen were currently under investigation in the incident
The hospital’s commanding officer said he knew about the video and photos Monday night. He said the behavior was “outrageous, unacceptable and cannot be tolerated.” He also said that the staff members involved have been taken away from patient care and were being investigated criminally and within the military.
The woman behind the camera is identified on social media as Allyson Thompson. The one in the pictures hasn’t been named. News4Jax attempted to reach Thompson on Tuesday, but was not successful.
Attorney Sean Cronin, who has filed medical malpractice against the Naval Hospital dozens of times, was surprised by the video.
"I'm absolutely, utterly shocked. I've never seen anything that is so blatant and malicious," Cronin said.
Cronin said corpsmen are the equivalent of Certified Nurses Assistants. They are enlisted Navy personnel and not licensed. They are supervised by doctors and nurses.
"To me this looks like abuse. We have corpsmen who are inappropriately handling children, and they appear to be doing it in a malicious fashion," Cronin said.
Cronin said he is confident the women will be dishonorably discharged from the military and they could face criminal charges. He said some of their supervisors could lose their jobs.
Reaction on social media was swift. Many people posting on social media are calling for the worker in the video to be fired..
Rachel Garcia, who gave birth to her son at Naval Hospital Jacksonville one year ago, said she had a wonderful experience at the hospital. So her heart sank when she recognized the woman in the viral video handling a newborn like a puppet.
"The face I recognized was in my room at some point with my child," Garcia said. "As far as I am aware, that is the lady that took care of my son."
U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery issued the following statement:
We are aware of the inappropriate video and photos and can confirm they are hospital corpsmen, not nurses, but we are unable to confirm their names or tenure in light of the ongoing investigation. The individuals have been removed from patient care, meaning they will not be providing direct patient care. We are also contacting patients to address any questions or concerns they may have. This type of behavior is incompatible with the Navy's core values of honor, courage and commitment, as well as medical ethics. It also does not reflect the commitment Navy Medicine has to provide the best care our nation can offer to those who serve as well as their families. An investigation is underway. Once the investigation is complete, appropriate actions will be taken."