CT hospital's alleged culpability in sex abuse case subject of lawsuit

Testimony continued in the second day of the second St. Francis child sex abuse trial at Waterbury Superior Court. Witnesses called to the stand included West Hartford police Capt. Donald Melanson, one of the investigators in 2007 when between 50,000 and 60,000 pornographic photos and slides were found hidden in the former home of George Reardon, St. Francis hospital's head of endocrinology. For decades, Reardon, who died in '98, lured countless children with a bogus growth study so he could sexually abuse and exploit them in his hospital office. The hidden porn stash was proof. The case seeks to determine if St. Francis, which had in place a system of checks and balances that appears to never have been used with Reardon, is culpable. The first case ended in a settlement for 32 of Reardon's victims, who were represented by the New Haven law firm, Stratton Faxon. The plaintiff in this case is represented by Douglas Mahoney, of Tremont & Sheldon, of Bridgeport.