Key Takeaways
- Former Boston Children’s Hospital nurse, John Tam, has been charged in cases involving three alleged victims, all patients.
- Authorities believe additional survivors may exist and are encouraging anyone with information to come forward.
- A civil investigation can examine whether healthcare institutions took appropriate steps to protect vulnerable patients.
Former Boston Children’s Hospital Nurse John Tam Faces Multiple Sexual Assault Charges
A former Boston Children’s Hospital nurse is facing multiple felony charges after prosecutors alleged he sexually assaulted patients while they were recovering from surgery.
John Tam, 33, of Hopedale, Massachusetts, pleaded not guilty in Suffolk Superior Court on Monday, July 27, to four counts of indecent assault and battery on a person age 14 or older and four counts of indecent assault and battery on a patient by a healthcare provider, according to CBS News.
The Suffolk County indictment involves two teenage patients treated at Boston Children’s Hospital.
According to CBS, “Prosecutor Madeline Berry said Tam is also charged with indecent assault in Middlesex County on an adult patient at UMass Memorial Medical Center’s Marlborough Campus who was in a ‘very similar position, an extremely vulnerable position’ to the teenage patients.”
The court released Tam on personal recognizance but prohibited him from working in healthcare or having unsupervised contact with children.
Investigators are concerned these alleged incidents are not isolated and that there may be additional victims.
The court has scheduled a potential trial for April 2027.
Timeline of the Allegations Against John Tam
September 2022: Alleged Assault at Boston Children’s Hospital
The first known incident allegedly occurred on September 19, 2022 after a 15-year-old cancer patient underwent surgery at Boston Children’s Hospital.
According to prosecutors, the teenager awoke from anesthesia to find Tam inappropriately touching his genitals. During a court hearing, Prosecutor Madeline Berry stated that the patient told Tam, “‘Don’t touch me down there,’” after realizing what was going on.
According to Boston Children’s Hospital, they reviewed the 2022 allegation “‘immediately’” after it was reported, but concluded that it “‘could not be substantiated.’” Tam remained employed.
October 2023: Adult Patient Reports Assault at UMass Memorial Marlborough
Roughly one year later, while employed at UMass Memorial Medical Center’s Marlborough Campus, Tam was accused of sexually assaulting an adult patient.
According to a police report, the patient had been hospitalized for breathing problems and alleged that Tam assaulted him while bathing him in his hospital bed.
The patient ‘“immediately told the nursing supervisor that ‘he had been sexually assaulted by his nurse, and asked her to call police,’ the report said. “ (CBS)
Tam denied acting “maliciously” during his interview with investigators, and, according to the report cited by CBS, said “‘he would never do anything inappropriate when cleaning his patients.’”
UMass Memorial Health has declined to comment on the allegations.
This allegation is now the subject of a criminal case in Middlesex County, separate from the Suffolk County case involving two minors.
January 2025: Another Alleged Assault at Boston Children’s Hospital
Prosecutors allege Tam assaulted another teenage patient while working at Boston Children’s Hospital in January 2025.
According to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, “The minor victim had recently undergone surgery under anesthesia. His nurse, John Tam, was responsible for performing vital checks after the surgery concluded. Tam told the victim’s mother to get her car and drive to the entrance so the patient could be discharged. Tam dressed the victim, took him to the first floor, and brought him into a single-stall bathroom despite the victim not indicating he needed to use the restroom. Tam then sexually assaulted the victim for approximately eight minutes, including fondling his genitals and offering to pull up pornographic material on his phone to make the victim erect, before wheeling him outside to his mother’s vehicle. When the victim’s mother became aware of the situation, she immediately alerted hospital staff.
Officers reviewed security footage and observed Tam wheeling the victim to a bathroom and exiting nine minutes later.”
Boston Children’s Hospital’s Response
According to WCVB, Boston Children’s Hospital said it reported the matter to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and terminated Tam’s employment following the January 2025 allegation.
The hospital has not confirmed whether Tam remained continuously employed there between the 2022 and 2025 allegations. In a statement, Boston Children’s Hospital said that it continues to cooperate with the ongoing investigation and prosecution. In addition, “Boston Children’s said its review of available records found no indication that the hospital had been made aware of allegations from any other hospital.” (WCVB)
The 2025 allegation was initially tried in Roxbury District Court, but the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict, resulting in a mistrial. A Suffolk County grand jury has since returned an eight-count indictment encompassing both the 2022 and 2025 allegations involving two teenage patients.
Prosecutors Believe Additional Victims May Exist
“Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden called Tam’s actions ‘insidious’ and has urged parents to come forward if they think their children may have been assaulted.” (CBS)
According to media reports, Tam also previously worked at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and UMass Memorial Medical Center – Worcester.
Survivors and their parents may reach the Child Protection Unit at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office at 617-619-4300.
Can the Hospital Be Held Responsible?
If the allegations against Tam are true, they describe an especially disturbing abuse of trust involving patients who were especially vulnerable.
The criminal proceedings against John Tam will determine whether he is found guilty of the pending charges.
A civil investigation, however, may examine whether healthcare institutions, including Boston Children’s Hospital, took reasonable steps to protect patients and responded appropriately after allegations of misconduct were reported.
According to Boston Children’s Hospital, it reviewed the 2022 allegation shortly after it was reported and determined that it could not be substantiated. Prosecutors now allege that a second incident involving the same employee occurred at the hospital in 2025. As a result, the hospital’s response to the earlier report may become an important issue in any future civil litigation.
Depending on the facts, a civil investigation may examine issues such as:
- How allegations of misconduct were investigated;
- Whether complaints were appropriately documented and escalated;
- Whether there were hospital policies in place to protect vulnerable patients; and
- Whether additional safeguards could have prevented alleged abuse.
Every case is different, and whether a hospital or other healthcare institution may be held civilly liable depends on the specific facts and circumstances. Civil suits give survivors the opportunity to pursue compensation for counseling and other costs tied to recovery. They can also expose systemic failures and drive reforms to better protect patients in the future.
Legal Help for Survivors of Healthcare Sexual Abuse
Patients and their families place extraordinary trust in healthcare workers during some of life’s most vulnerable moments. When that trust is violated, survivors may be left with lasting trauma and unanswered questions.
If you or a loved one was sexually assaulted by John Tam or another healthcare worker, you may have legal options.
Our firm represents survivors of sexual abuse across the nation. We have extensive experience with cases involving nurses, hospitals, and healthcare institutions.
Our team is trauma-informed, survivor-centered, and committed to helping individuals understand their rights and choose the path that feels the most empowering to them.
Your voice deserves to be heard, and our attorneys are ready to listen.
All consultations are free and completely confidential.
Contact us today.
Image sources: John Tam, courtesy of WCVB. Boston Children’s Hospital, via BCRP.
