botched castration (#2 in this area)

[Dave (imported)]

Man charged with posing as surgeon, botching sex change

By Gwen Arbuckle

TRIBUNE-REVIEW, Friday, September 19, 2003

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune ... 55844.html

A Lower Burrell man posing as a surgeon is facing charges for performing a botched sex change on a transgendered McKeesport man, police said.

McKeesport police yesterday afternoon arrested Douglas Lenhart, 48, of Finnin Road, on charges of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and practicing medicine without a license on the victim, 43.

After the surgery in her McKeesport home on Sept. 12, the victim woke up and realized things went terribly wrong.

"She called 911 after she realized she was bleeding excessively due to complications that occurred when Lenhart attempted to remove one of her testicles," Detective Bryan Washowich said.

Lenhart fled while she was dialing 911, police said. Police have been looking for him since the surgery. <i>(Since then, he has been arrested because I have seen his picture on TV) </I>

The victim, whom police declined to name, was rushed to a local hospital. She was released yesterday. <i>(in the TV commentary, the paramedics and

Doctors said that she had lost a significant amount of blood and would have died if unattended)</i>

Lenhart, who works in a New Kensington manufacturing plant, does not have medical training and the victim did not ask to see his medical license, Washowich said. The victim found Lenhart via the Internet. He presented himself as a surgeon, police said.

Police would not say how much Lenhart charged to perform the surgery.

The detective believes Lenhart might have performed similar surgeries and is contacting other police departments. Lenhart solicits business from people via chat rooms and e-mail, Washowich said.

Washowich said the suspect, who recently moved to the area from Kansas, is "an educated man," but would not describe him in further detail.

Lenhart is at Allegheny County Jail on $25,000 bond and will be evaluated at the county's behavior clinic. A person who answered the phone at Lenhart's home this morning would not comment.

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