Criminal Malpractice Charges in Roy
Dr. E. W. Ratliffe is arrested on charges regarding the medical treatment of a young woman.
Dr. E. W. Ratliffe of Roy was arrested today and released on $5,000 bond on a charge of criminal malpractice involving Miss Osborne, aged 20, of Lake Park. The patient was treated at Tacoma and later at Ratliffe's office, eventually delivering a child at Lake Park. She is reported to be in critical condition. Justice Sharp has taken her deposition, and authorities are currently seeking Thomas C. Van Eaton in connection with the case on charges of seduction and complicity.
“Ratliffe denies the charge of malpractice, claiming he did not know she was in a delicate condition.”
This incident serves as a grim artifact of the era's criminalization of reproductive healthcare and the harsh legal environments faced by women seeking medical interventions outside of sanctioned paths.
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