69 News was first to bring you the story in August of 2023 of Dr. Debra Esernio-Jenssen, the LVHN Child Abuse Pediatrician, who was diagnosing cases of child abuse in situations that did not appear to involve actual abuse.
Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley helped uncover questions surrounding possible misdiagnoses in these cases. He visited 69 News at Sunrise Wednesday morning to share what’s happened since then with the case.
Parents accused Esernio-Jenssen of causing them to be wrongfully separated them from their children. She has since retired.
He talked about the children who Dr. Jenssen diagnosed as child abuse victims and that were brought to the hospital. Esernio-Jenssen had been diagnosing them with Munchausen’s syndrome by proxy.
That is when a mom pretends that the child’s sick when they are not.
He said the parents had been suspected of child abuse. Judges would make the determination on whether abuse has occurred.
Children are typically taken away and put into foster or kinship care after an accusation of child abuse.
He said attention to the cases helped bring some of the children back home. The case being brought to light “gave the parents a voice,” Pinsley said.
A lawsuit was filed seeking the money lost while parents were trying to get their kids back.
LVHN had issued the following statement in response to the lawsuit:
“While we cannot comment on specific details of active litigation, we share the following statement:
At Lehigh Valley Health Network, we are guided by our mission to heal, comfort, and care for the people of our community. As health care professionals, we bear the responsibility of keeping children safe and healthy, which includes reviewing and reporting suspicions of child abuse and neglect. Like all healthcare providers and caregivers in Pennsylvania, we are required by law to report suspected child abuse and we take this responsibility seriously. Early recognition of abuse can be lifesaving and our clinicians remain committed to caring for and protecting our patients.”
Kim Steltz, co-founder of the Parents’ Medical Rights Group Greater Lehigh Valley Chapter and one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, issued the following statement after it was filed:
“We are pleased litigation has commenced to establish accountability for the widespread harm caused to families and children stemming from false accusations of child abuse. We have full confidence in the entire legal team being led by Francis Malofiy, Esq. of Francis Alexander LLC to prosecute, defend, and seek justice for the many families who have been injured by Dr. Debra Esernio-Jenssen and her colleagues, the Child Advocacy Center (CAC), and the Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN). We support and applaud the brave families including the 24 children who are using their voices to ensure this harm in our community never happens again. No more silence. Families with similar stories can share them at www.ChildInterrupted.com.”
Pinsley has been featured in the NYT Serial podcast “The Preventionist” as the guy who wouldn’t let go.Â