Attorney General Beau Biden announced from the headquarters of the DelawareChild Predator Task Force that the Sussex County Grand Jury today indicted Lewes Pediatrician

Earl Bradley for the rape and sexual assault of more than 100 child victims between 1998 and

2009. The 471-count indictment contains charges of Rape 1

st Degree, Rape 2nd Degree, SexualExploitation of a Child, Unlawful Sexual Contact 1

st Degree, Unlawful Sexual Contact 2nd Degree,Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child, Assault 2

nd Degree, Reckless Endangering 1st Degree, andAttempted Rape 1st Degree.

“I know that today’s indictment will reopen painful wounds and open new ones for a

Lewes and Sussex County community that has been deeply traumatized,” Biden said. “As I have

said before, we will prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law. As a prosecutor, I am

bound by certain rules that limit what I can say in the midst of an active investigation. I cannot

say certain things that I am feeling, and I am feeling a great deal. I am determined to see that this

defendant will never, ever be in a position again to hurt another child.”

Today’s indictment is based on video evidence seized by law enforcement during the

execution of search warrants at the defendant’s home and office in December, 2009. The many

video files seized show the defendant in the act of assaulting his victims. The indictment alleges

that 103 individual children were victimized. If convicted as charged, the defendant faces a

mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

This indictment is the result of a year-long investigation. In December, 2008, Delaware

State Police responded to allegations of sexual abuse against Dr. Bradley by opening an

investigation, which remained open and active throughout the remainder of 2008 and 2009, until

they arrested him on December 16, 2009 and executed a search warrant at his medical practice.

After Bradley was arrested, search warrants were executed at his home and office that uncovered

the evidence that resulted in today’s indictment.

During the course of the ongoing investigation, the Delaware Department of Justice,

working with the Delaware Child Predator Task Force, Delaware State Police, and other agencies

has reviewed and analyzed the substantial amount of evidence that was seized, including more

than 13 hours of video files, computers, hard drives, and other digital storage media, and more

than 7,000 of the defendant’s individual patient files.

Biden explained that a team of national experts on child sexual abuse has been assembled

to assist parents, victims, and community members, and to assist in the investigation. He also

reiterated the many resources that the Delaware Department of Justice and other agencies are

making available to victims, families, and members of the community. These resources include:

1.) The Delaware Department of Justice continues to provide services for victims and their

families through the Delaware Department of Justice Lewes Community Office, at

(302)645-4010
. Parents can also visit this office onsite at 105 W 4th Street, to request a copy of
their child’s pediatric file, share information about the investigation, and be connected with

counseling and other services that are available. Normal hours of operation are 9:00 a.m. –

5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays, but the office

can accommodate appointments at other times.

2.) The Delaware Department of Justice has recently sent more than 3,000 letters to parents

and/or guardians of Dr. Bradley’s current and former patients. The letters, provided in

both English and Spanish, notify families of the criminal investigation and inform them of

victim services that are available. They also ask families to assist investigators in

identifying victims and to provide photographs of their children from each year they were a

patient of Dr. Bradley.

3.) The Delaware Department of Justice, Delaware State Police, and other agencies are

coordinating specialized services for victims and their families. Concerned parents and

caretakers are urged to contact the Delaware State Police 24-hour Victim Services Hotline

at 1-800-VICTIM-1 (1-800-842-8461) or send an e-mail to a specially-arranged Delaware

State Police address –

victim1@delaware.gov. Callers will speak with a Delaware StatePolice victim service advocate qualified to provide important information and make

appropriate referrals. They may also be directed to financial assistance provided for

counseling and other services through state programs, including the Delaware Victims’

Compensation Assistance Program.

Individuals who have information to provide in this case are urged to call Delaware State

Police detectives at (302) 856-5850, ext. 216. Parents of patients or former patients of Dr.

Bradley, regardless of the age or gender of the child, are asked to come forward.

The Delaware Department of Justice reminds the public that an indictment is merely an

allegation and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a

jury trial at which the state bears the burden of proving each charge beyond a reasonable doubt.

# # #

Print