Louisiana cardiologist arrested in child pornography investigation
Antonio Felipe Belda, MD, a 37-year-old pediatric cardiologist based out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has been arrested after hundreds of pornographic images involving young children were found in his home.
Investigators raided Belda’s home on Sept. 28 after receiving a tip from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children, according to a new report from Baton Rouge-based WBRZ-TV. The cardiologist has been charged with 130 counts of pornography involving juveniles and 50 counts of video voyeurism.
Belda was previously associated with the Our Lady of the Lake health system, but he has already been fired and had his name removed from the system’s website. According to WBRZ, investigators indicated that Our Lady of the Lake patients did not appear to be involved in the pornographic materials in any way.
“We are shocked to learn of the disturbing allegations against one of our recently employed physicians,” reads a statement to the media released by Our Lady of the Lake. “When we became aware of these charges and arrest at his home this morning, the physician was immediately terminated with no further patient or staff contact. Our physician hiring process is extremely rigorous and includes background checks, multiple reference checks and other nationally recognized best practices. We will continue to cooperate fully with our law enforcement partners. As always, the safety and care of our patients and team members is our top priority.”
Read the full story from WBRZ at the link below:
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.