Dr. Sally Smith is the medical director for the Pinellas County Child Protective Services team and is a contracted child abuse Pediatrician at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital and Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Smith has wrongly accused more than a dozen parents of child abuse. The USA Today Network investigated hundreds of child abuse cases tied to Smith, where parents were proven innocent but suffered irreparable trauma and harm due too her accusations.

This doctor too hastily diagnoses child abuse, ripping apart families. We ask that the Pinellas County Child Protective Services and her affiliated hospitals strongly consider terminating her contract due to her actions. The Florida Department of Health should investigate this case to consider license termination due to acting below the standards of medical care. 

When Justice needs to be served, God shines a spotlight on the cause. Most recently that spotlight hovers over ‘American Idol’ finalist, Syesha Mercado. 

Mercado’s nightmare started when her 15-month-old son, Amen’Ra, was ripped from her family, in to foster care following a hospital visit. As reported by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, “Mercado and her partner, Tyron Deener, took their baby boy to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg on Feb. 26 for a routine check-up after the couple became concerned about malnutrition. Mercado’s breast milk started to run dry when she became pregnant with her newborn daughter and Amen’Ra stopped accepting fluids.”

Mercado gave birth to a new baby girl during her legal battle for custody of Amen’Ra and now her second baby was snatched from her arms.  Mercado and Deener were in the car with their 10 day old daughter on Wednesday when police  pulled  them over and insisted on conducting a roadside welfare check in the middle of the highway.  The couple said that they directed all communication to their attorney, who wasn’t given a warning about the safety check, which led Child Protective Services to take the child away. 
The heartbreaking clip was posted on Instagram live, sparking outrage.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CSb5gyOHA16/?utm_medium=copy_link

Syesha’s Instagram photos and videos depict a peaceful, happy family who deserves to be together. 

Some other accusations that Smith made according to USA Today Network:

”-Smith testified that the head injuries on an infant boy in Pasco County were inflicted by his father. But Florida's Second District Court of Appeal overturned the removal, saying Smith's conclusions were based "primarily on her assessment of the father's credibility, not on the available medical reports." The ruling also pointed to significant inconsistencies in Smith's medical notes.

-Beata Kowalski, a 43-year-old mother of two, died by suicide in 2017 after Smith accused her of Munchausen syndrome by proxy — a rare disorder in which a parent fakes a child’s illness for sympathy or gain. Her family members are now suing Smith and All Children’s Hospital for what they said were trumped-up claims.

-John Stewart, a Marine Corps veteran, spent 300 days in jail on Smith’s allegation that he killed his girlfriend’s son by throwing him repeatedly against a soft surface. Prosecutors dropped the charges after a neuropathologist contradicted Smith’s findings, according to internal memos.

-Tara Brown, 39, underwent three grueling rounds of in vitro fertilization to conceive twins with her physician husband. She was accused of inflicting countless fractures on her 6-week-old infants, but the charges were expunged after another doctor diagnosed them with a rare bone disorder.

Smith also provided expert opinion in at least three "shaken baby syndrome" cases filed between 2009 and 2012 blaming the caregivers.”

Pinellas County Child Protective Services and The Florida Department Of Health need to strongly consider her ability to practice as a physician, determining the fate of families. We ask that she be terminated. 

Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital and Bayfront Medical Center must recognize how Smith’s actions are harming children and their families.

Please email the Florida Department Of Health’s Consumer Services unit. They will investigate the complaints against the Doctor.

mailto: MQA.ConsumerServices@flhealth.gov

SALLY M SMITH MD
License Number: ME57818

Primary Practice Address
SALLY M SMITH MD
2855 5TH AVE NORTH
ST PETERSBURG, FL 33713

Staff Privileges
This practitioner currently holds staff privileges at the following hospital/medical/health institutions:

ALL CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL SAINT PETERSBURG FLORIDA

BAYFRONT MEDICAL CENTER SAINT PETERSBURG

#BringRaHome
#Syesha

Www.change.org/syeshamercado

https://www.gofundme.com/f/bring-ra-home

#bringrahome #syeshamercado #americanidol #childprotectiveservices #manateecounty #syesha