Florida Doctor Arrested After Repeatedly Striking Unresponsive Patient

Onyekachi Nwabuko has been arrested after he allegedly struck a patient with their own hand repeatedly, according to an affidavit. 

Nwabuko, 44 was arrested on Wednesday after his colleagues at UF Health Leesburg Hospital described the alleged striking incident. 

A hospital director, the victim, two registered nurses, and an emergency room technician said in testimony seen by CBS affiliate WKMG that Nwabuko battered the patient on three different occasions. 

A staff member told the police that a common practice to determine whether a patient is conscious or not is to drop their hand over their face, according to WKMG. In records seen by WKMG, the staff member said that if a patient is alert “they will either move or stop their hand to prevent it from striking their face.”

The staff member however didn’t believe Nwabuko had been practicing those proper procedures and stated that they could see the victim tried to resist despite Nwabuko applying more pressure. 

WKMG stated that Leesburg police said Nwabuko had attempted to assess the victim for possible intubation when he first battered her face with her left hand. Her IV line then came out of her left arm and caused her to bleed on her face and chest. Nwabuko then asked a staff member to get a new face mask before he left.

According to documents, the victim told a nursing supervisor that she heard Nwabuko claim she had been faking her low alert level and started to mock her. She also claimed she was unable to speak or physically resist the force that Nwabuko applied.

The victim suffered significant injuries to her face, including redness, swelling, and bruising to her left eye. 

Nwabuko faces three counts of misdemeanor battery charges in relation to the alleged striking incident on Wednesday,” WKMG reported. 

A misdemeanor battery in Florida is punishable with one year in jail or 12 months probation, as well as a $1,000 fine.