Hospital Patient Charged with Attempted Murder After Allegedly Breaking ‘Every Bone’ in Nurse’s Face During Attack

A hospital patient has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly beating up a nurse at a hospital in West Palm Beach, Fla., according to authorities.

The Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office shared in a post on X that Stephen Scantlebury was arrested on charges of attempted murder after allegedly committing “aggravated battery against a nurse” at the Palms West Hospital.

Police stated in another post on X that officers were dispatched to the scene at around 1:20 p.m. local time on Feb. 18, when they found the nurse “critically injured.” She was “subsequently transported to St. Mary’s Hospital” while Scantlebury, 33, was “detained.”

Police said the incident was under investigation by the Violent Crimes Division and “further updates” would be provided.

In an update shared on Thursday, Feb. 20, police said that “a hate crime enhancement” was being added to Scantlebury’s “existing charge of attempted second-degree murder,” based on their “ongoing investigations.”

“Hate crime enhancements, if proven, can result in harsher penalties upon conviction. They highlight the motive behind the defendant’s actions and their broader impact on the community,” police said in a statement.

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According to a probable cause affidavit of the incident obtained by WPLG-TV and WPTV-TV, Scantlebury allegedly “inexplicably” jumped on top of his bed and then onto the nurse and attacked her. A person who witnessed the attack then ran out of the room to call for help.

Police said in the affidavit that “essentially every bone in the victim’s face is broken and the victim is likely to lose the use of both eyes” as a result of the incident. Police described the severity of her injuries as “critical” and noted that because of her injuries, she was not able to provide a statement to investigators.

HCA Florida Healthcare, which owns Palms West Hospital, said in a statement to the outlets that they were “praying” for the recovery of their “beloved colleague” and “providing support to our hospital staff” who were “understandably shaken by this incident.”

“The attack on our nursing colleague happened within a matter of seconds and was witnessed by multiple people who came to assist,” the company continued. “We are grateful to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office who acted to detain the suspect and we are assisting law enforcement in their investigation.”