Carrollton Sex Abuse Lawyer Files Civil Lawsuit Against Barto’s Employer

A new civil lawsuit has been filed against the employers of Johnnie Barto, a pediatrician convicted of pedophilia. Despite being aware that Barto posed a significant risk to patients, his employers allowed him to continue practicing without questioning his misconduct.

Lawsuit Seeks Accountability from Employers

Five former patients of Barto are now seeking financial compensation from his employers. Earlier in March, Barto received a sentence of at least 79 years in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting 31 minors, many of whom were his patients.

The lawsuit accuses Laurel Pediatrics Associates of enabling Barto’s behavior for over two decades, claiming the clinic was fully aware of his actions yet failed to act. According to the accusations, their negligence allowed Barto to continue treating and exploiting children. Laurel Pediatrics Associates has declined to comment on these allegations.

Four Jane Does and one John Doe are seeking damages from Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, where Barto held privileges. The medical center condemned Barto’s actions, calling them “reprehensible,” and distanced itself from any responsibility in a formal statement.

Carrollton Criminal Lawyer Sarah Klein Calls for Change

At a press conference, Carrollton criminal lawyer Sarah Klein, a former Olympic gymnast and the first victim of Larry Nassar to publicly speak out, emphasized the broader problem within the medical field. Klein said, “We’re really just getting started. There’s a massive problem in the medical community here and in other places, and we’re going to insist on change that makes children safe.”

Missed Opportunities to Address Misconduct

Shockingly, there was a chance to stop Barto much earlier. Back in 2000, two young girls reported being molested by the pediatrician in 1999 and brought their allegations to the Pennsylvania Board of Medicine. However, the regulators dismissed the claims, citing them as “incongruous to his reputation,” and did not revoke his medical license. This decision allowed Barto to continue his practice uninterrupted.

Respected within the Johnstown community as a pediatrician and elected school board member, Barto’s public image shielded him from suspicion, making the accusations difficult to believe for many.

Following these ignored allegations, Barto admitted he felt “invincible.” After his arrest, he revealed that this sense of untouchability fueled his continued abuse of additional young patients until his apprehension in January 2018.

Civil Allegations Against Barto’s Colleagues

The lawsuit states that Barto’s colleagues were aware of the “unreasonably high risk of harm” he posed to young patients. Instead of taking decisive action, they allegedly enabled his crimes through “silence, acquiescence, denial, and misrepresentation.”

Two individuals still working at Laurel Pediatrics, pediatrician Dr. Elaine Confer and nurse practitioner Bradley Callihan, have been implicated for downplaying allegations against Barto.

Ignoring the Warnings

The lack of action by Barto’s colleagues included incidents like the October 2016 molestation of a 10-year-old boy and his 8-year-old sister at Laurel. The children’s mother confronted Confer, their primary pediatrician, about the incident. According to the lawsuit, Confer acknowledged she had previously heard reports of Barto’s inappropriate behavior with minors and promised to address his “odd bedside manner.” However, she failed to follow through on this promise.

Similarly, almost a decade earlier, Barto conducted an unnecessary genital and breast exam on a 16-year-old girl in front of Callihan and an unidentified office manager. When the girl and her parents raised concerns about the exam, Callihan and the manager defended Barto’s actions as being “thorough” and claimed their response was aimed at avoiding any clinical oversight.

A Call for Accountability

The lawsuit against Barto’s employers seeks to establish accountability for the negligence that endangered numerous young patients. Carrollton OVI lawyer Sarah Klein’s involvement underscores the importance of addressing systemic failings in preventing such misconduct in the medical field.

This case serves as a stark reminder for healthcare institutions to prioritize patient safety over professional reputation, ensuring that perpetrators of abuse are held accountable. For those seeking legal guidance, the Youngstown Criminal Law Group (330) 992-3036 has extensive experience in handling cases of such gravity.