A former nurse at Boston Children’s Hospital, John Tam, aged 33, faces serious charges following allegations of sexual assault involving two teenage boys in his care. Tam, who hails from Hopedale, is set to be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court on Monday, July 27, after being indicted by a grand jury on multiple counts.
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The Suffolk District Attorney, Kevin Hayden, has confirmed that Tam is facing four counts of indecent assault and battery on a person aged 14 or older, as well as four counts of indecent assault and battery by a health care provider. Details regarding whether Tam has secured legal representation to comment on the accusations remain unclear.
According to prosecutors, the first alleged incident occurred on September 19, 2022, when a 15-year-old boy underwent chest surgery at the hospital. After the surgery, while still disoriented from anaesthesia, the boy reportedly found Tam inappropriately touching him. This incident has raised significant concerns among hospital staff and the broader community.
The second incident, as outlined by prosecutors, took place on January 2, 2025. Following another surgical procedure, an alleged victim was said to have been approached by Tam, who was responsible for conducting post-operative checks. It is claimed that Tam instructed the boy’s mother to retrieve her vehicle from the hospital entrance to expedite his discharge. Despite the boy showing no signs of needing to use the restroom, Tam allegedly escorted him to a single-stall bathroom where the assault occurred.
During the alleged incident, prosecutors assert that Tam committed several acts of sexual misconduct over an eight-minute period, including fondling the boy and suggesting that he could share explicit material from his phone to elicit a physical response. The events were reportedly captured on hospital security footage, which allegedly shows Tam transporting the victim to the bathroom before leaving the premises approximately nine minutes later.
Following the alleged assault, the boy’s mother notified hospital staff about the incident, prompting an immediate investigation. Authorities have indicated that they are looking into the nature of Tam’s employment history to ascertain the potential for further related incidents.
In light of the charges, officials are urging parents whose children may have been treated by Tam, either at Boston Children’s Hospital or other institutions where he previously worked — including Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and UMass Memorial Medical Center — to come forward if they suspect any misconduct. The District Attorney has expressed concern that there may be more victims and assured the public that any information received will be investigated thoroughly and sensitively.
“We are concerned that these may not be isolated incidents,” District Attorney Hayden said in a recent statement. “We want to assure parents that any information they provide will be thoroughly and sensitively investigated.”
The investigation is being led by the Child Protection Unit of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, which has urged anyone with relevant information to reach out directly. Parents and guardians are encouraged to contact the office at 617-619-4300.
In the wake of this ongoing situation, individuals who believe they may have been affected or who are seeking support can reach out to support services. The Crisis Text Line offers assistance to those in need, with texts of “STRENGTH” to 741-741 connecting users with certified crisis counsellors. Additionally, the National Sexual Assault Hotline is available at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or via rainn.org for those seeking further help.
As the legal proceedings move forward and the investigation continues, many in the community are left hoping for justice and transparency in addressing these serious allegations against a former caregiver in a trusted healthcare setting.