The medical director at Belmont Pines is at risk of losing his medical license after allegedly not reporting alleged child sexual abuse by another staff member. Kaitlyn McCarthy has those details.
The Medical Director at Belmont Pines is at risk of losing his medical license for allegedly not reporting alleged child sexual abuse by another staffer.
Within a nine year span, Dr. Joseph Bethuy was accused by three different juvenile patients of sexual abuse during physicals.
The claims include touching patients inappropriately during exams, rubbing his genitals on a patient’s lap and failing to comply with multiple attempts by the State Medical Board to conduct an interview.
Two different cases were reported to Liberty Township police in 2021. One of the cases included a statement from a juvenile saying, “The doctor I seen today is a weirdo and I never want to see him again. I hop[e] no kids has to see him ever again… He was too close to my private area and I didn’t like it. He’s a weirdo. Please take his license away forever.”
Both cases were closed and sent to the Trumbull County Prosecutor’s Office.
When asked why they did not move the case forward, assistant prosecutor Gabe Wildman said in both cases, there were conflicting statements that would have made it unlikely to convince a jury beyond a reasonable doubt.
He pointed to nurses being in the room in both cases, who say nothing inappropriate happened. Wildman also said that the alleged acts were done over clothing, which could be looked at as persistent with his duties as a pediatrician.
But those allegations, in addition to a claim for 2012, led Bethuy to agree to permanently surrender his medical license. The standard of proof is lower when it’s not a criminal matter.
Bethuy surrendered his license in March, five years after allegations were reported to Liberty police.
The Medical board is also considering limiting or revoking Medical director at Belmont Pines Dr. Phillip Maiden’s license.
Jerica Kent, chief of communications for the State Medical Board of Ohio, sent 21 News a statement:
“Under Ohio law, the Medical Board’s complaint and investigation process is confidential to protect the identity of the complainant and the integrity of investigations. The board is a complaint-driven agency and receives complaints from a variety of sources including but not limited to patients, medical providers, organizations, and other state agencies. The board also has no statute of limitations; complaints of licensee misconduct can be received at any time.
The board has developed a rigorous process to ensure complaints of sexual misconduct are addressed in a timely manner and reach resolution as swiftly as possible. Every complaint has its own unique fact pattern and is thoroughly investigated. Due to this process, the board may only pursue discipline once it has determined that a violation of the Medical Practice Act has occurred.
The board accepted the permanent surrender of Joseph Bethuy, MD on March 11, 2026, ensuring he will no longer be permitted to practice medicine in any form or manner in the State of Ohio. The board also issued a Notice of Opportunity for Hearing, also known as a citation, to Phillip Maiden, MD on April 8, due to his failure to report instances of Joseph Bethuy’s misconduct. Duty to report is an important statutory and rule requirement of Medical Board licensees and health care facilities.”
Maiden was Bethuy’s supervisor for over a decade, and has been medical director at Belmont Pines since 2000.
21 News reached out to Belmont Pines to see if Maiden is still on the job, but they have not yet responded.
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