Kaiser Faces Lawsuit Over 20 Years of Abuse Claims Against Dead Pediatrician
Updated
Updated · KGW.com · May 12
Kaiser Faces Lawsuit Over 20 Years of Abuse Claims Against Dead Pediatrician
7 articles · Updated · KGW.com · May 12
A King County lawsuit filed Monday says Kaiser Permanente failed to protect a former patient who alleges Vancouver pediatrician Michael Wilmington abused her during visits from 2000 to 2006.
The woman said she recognized the abuse only after news reports on Wilmington’s death and child-sex-abuse-material allegations; the suit says he made sexual comments, showed pornography, required unnecessary nudity and touched her inappropriately.
About 50 people have contacted the plaintiff’s lawyers in the past week with similar claims, and the suit argues complaints about Wilmington reached back roughly 20 years despite Kaiser saying it learned of allegations on April 30.
Wilmington had faced a felony child-molestation warrant and was found dead earlier this month in an apparent suicide; Kaiser says it is focused on affected patients and has opened a support line.
The accused doctor is dead. Can a healthcare giant now be held accountable for two decades of his alleged crimes?
With decades of warnings from patients and staff, how did Kaiser Permanente’s patient safety system fail so catastrophically?
Dr. Michael Wilmington Abuse Scandal: Arrests, Lawsuits, and Institutional Accountability at Kaiser Permanente (2000–2026)
Overview
In May 2026, after Kaiser Permanente terminated Dr. Michael Wilmington and he died by apparent suicide, Vancouver police issued a criminal warrant alleging he hosted naked sleepovers with young children. Soon after, Jane Doe filed the first civil lawsuit against Kaiser Permanente, expressing devastation that her complaints and those of others were ignored. The lawsuit aims to uncover why reports were dismissed and prevent future harm. Attorneys at PCVA Law highlighted a pattern of institutions ignoring serious complaints and encouraged more victims and witnesses to come forward, hoping Jane Doe’s action would empower others to share their experiences.