Status: Accepting Cases ✅
Defendants: Dr. Patrick Clyne; Santa Clara Valley Medical Center; Pediatric Medical Group of Watsonville
Topic: Medical Sexual Abuse / Pediatric Sexual Assault / Foster Care Abuse
Pediatrician and Foster Parent, Patrick Clyne, and Negligent Institutions Face Sexual Abuse Lawsuits
- Patrick Clyne is accused of exploiting his authority as a pediatrician and foster parent to groom, sexually abuse, and sexually assault vulnerable children.
- Clyne was the chief pediatrician for foster children in Santa Clara County and fostered children in his own home.
- For over 25 years, Clyne disguised his assaults as medical exams and kept these kids with nowhere to turn quiet through gifts and affection, which, of course, they craved.
- Santa Clara County, its Social Services Agency and Department of Family and Children's Services, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, and private practices knew of his crimes and still allowed him access to vulnerable children
- committed gross negligence, having ignored repeated complaints and red flags since 2001 that allowed Clyne to continue victimizing children for nearly 25 years.
- Now, through investigations like those by Dolman Law Group and Lawsuit Legal News, civil lawsuits are being filed against the facilities that were shockingly aware of his crimes, including
Chief pediatrician and foster parent Dr. Patrick Clyne is accused of decades-long sexual abuse, allegedly exploiting his dual role to groom vulnerable children and mask assaults as medically unnecessary exams. Civil lawsuits claim Santa Clara County and its medical facilities are grossly negligent for ignoring complaints and red flags since 2001, allowing Clyne to abuse children for nearly 25 years.
*Note to the reader: You may notice that I used the perpetrator's full name a lot in this article. I have chosen this on purpose, in lieu of pronouns like he or him, so that anyone who scans this article or reads a snippet on AI doesn’t miss his name. He deserves to have his full name right next to the crimes he committed.
The foster care system and the field of medicine share a single, sacred duty: to protect the vulnerable. Both of these systems are meant to help our fellow citizens—our mothers, sisters, brothers, grandparents, friends, and children—in times when they are in the most need. They are supposed to be above the average when we entrust them to take care of our sick and abandoned. But, when these systems fail, when they ignore warning signs, bury complaints, and prioritize reputation over even the safety of children, not only have they violated our trust, but they have caused harm that will never leave these young people for the rest of their lives.
At Lawsuit Legal News, we have worked to hold some horrific people and institutions Accountable for the heinous crimes and harm they have caused. However, few cases are as disgusting and disappointing as that of former doctor Patrick Clyne.
Patrick Clyne was a doctor and a foster parent, two things we revere in this country. But he used that power to groom, abuse, and sexually assault not only the vulnerable children in foster care, but the children who he himself was fostering in his own home.
Patrick Clyne is the former chief pediatrician for Santa Clara County’s foster care system—you read that right. He was the head doctor for the 1000 children in the foster care system in Santa Clara County, California, and its 2 million residents. Clyne used this trusted position and access to children to groom them and sexually abuse them for over 20 years, and it could be much longer. (More on the timeline below)
Clyne is accused of betraying this duty on a massive scale. For decades, Clyne allegedly used his authority as both a doctor and a licensed foster parent to access.
At FileAbuseLawsuit.com, we are not just investigating a single "bad apple." We are building cases against the broken institutions that allegedly allowed a known predator to operate for over 25 years and did nothing to stop him. Instead, they just passed the buck; as long as he was no longer their problem, they forgot about it. But imagine all the innocent children this man had access to.
If you were harmed as a child or if you’re a parent or guardian of a child who was harmed by Dr. Clyne, we are actively accepting new clients who are looking to get the justice that was never served on this creep. Contact us today for a free, completely confidential case evaluation where you will be able to discuss your case with an experienced SA attorney ready to help.
A Predator Hidden in Plain Sight: Dr. Patrick Clyne
Former doctor Patrick Clyne was more than just an average pediatrician; he was the ultimate gatekeeper and high authority among pediatricians when it came to children who had nowhere else to turn and no other choice.
As the chief pediatrician for Santa Clara County’s foster care system, he was often the first doctor these children, who were already reeling from trauma, would see. This gave him grim access to these vulnerable kids.
But he wasn’t satisfied with that. Patrick Clyne further entrenched himself in the lives of some of these children by operating as an actual foster parent himself, bringing boys with histories of abuse and neglect into his own home.
Now, civil lawsuits and state investigations reveal that Clyne allegedly weaponized these dual roles to groom his young survivors, while systematically disguising his abuse as "medical care" or "parental affection."
Decades of Alleged Abuse
The allegations against Dr. Clyne are sickening in their nature and scope. Lawsuits and Medical Board filings describe a pattern of abuse, including:
- Inappropriate "Medical" Exams: Performing unneeded genital, rectal, and testicular examinations on young boys, often without gloves.
- Voyeurism: Forcing children to undress or walk naked for his gratification.
- Sexual Assault: Fondling and other specific sexual acts disguised as care.
- Grooming: Using gifts, special privileges, and affection to gain the trust and silence his victims. This act is one of the most egregious since these kids were desperate for affection and parental care, and this man took complete advantage of the situation and the children.
The Walls Are Finally Closing in on Dr. Clyne
After years of delays and deferred justice, Dr. Clyne effectively ended his medical career in June 2025 by surrendering his medical license.
As reported by The Imprint, a leading news source on child welfare, Clyne surrendered his license rather than face a full disciplinary hearing because he knew the evidence against him was too great.
While this ensures he can never practice medicine in California again, it raises a disturbing question: Why did it take nearly 25 years for the system to stop him?
They Knew And Did Nothing: Institutional Negligence Allowed Clyne's Sexual Abuse
The most infuriating aspect of this case is not just the abuse itself, but the timeline of his actions. Reports indicate that allegations against Dr. Clyne date back to 2001, and from what we know about people like this, likely even earlier.
For two decades, the very systems designed to protect vulnerable children allegedly ignored the alarms.
A Timeline of Failing Vulnerable Children & Patrick Clyne’s Crimes
- 2001: The first known complaints regarding Dr. Clyne's conduct surfaced.
- 2011: Santa Clara County removes him from his role as chief pediatrician after a District Attorney investigation finds "substantial evidence" of sexual crimes. Yet, he is allowed to keep his private practice.
- 2014: The state bars him from being a foster parent. He continues to treat children as a private doctor.
- 2025: He finally surrenders his medical license.
- 2025-2026: Patrick Clyne will face the survivors of his disgusting abuse as we and other law firms file lawsuits on their behalf to get justice from Clyne and the institutions that allowed this to happen for a quarter of a century.
Failure of the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
Hospitals and medical groups have a legal duty to supervise their staff. Yet, despite multiple reports from social workers, therapists, and even other staff members, Clyne remained in a position of power.
- Ignored Red Flags: Did the hospital administration suppress complaints to avoid a scandal?
- Lack of Oversight: Why was a pediatrician allowed to conduct exams that other professionals flagged as suspicious?
Failure of the Pediatric Medical Group of Watsonville
California requires medical practices to be structured into groups where the senior doctors are like partners or shareholders, in which they collectively share ownership of the medical group and share its profits. Because Dr. Clyne was a partner or shareholder in the Pediatric Medical Group of Watsonville, rather than just a random employee or renting space as a separate LLC, it creates a stronger case for institutional negligence.
- Patrick Clyne Was Likely a Partner or Shareholder: In California, the corporate practice of medicine doctrine prohibits regular corporations (like a standard LLC) from employing doctors. Instead, doctors form Professional Medical Corporations.
- Evidence that Patrick Clyne was an Owner: State records from the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) listed "Patrick Clyne" as the PEDI Liaison (which would point to him being a high-level administrative contact) for the Pediatric Medical Group of Watsonville. This clearly suggests he had administrative authority and was not just a low-level employee.
- Why This Matters for Liability: Since Patrick Clyne was a partner/owner, it strengthens the case for "institutional negligence" since one can argue that the facility didn't just fail to supervise an employee, but that the leadership itself was corrupt. The medical group is also generally liable for the acts of its partners committed within the scope of the business. This makes it much harder for the group to claim he was just some "independent contractor" that they had no control over, proving “vicarious liability.”
Dr. Patrick Clyne's Image Still Shows on the Website for the Pediatric Medical Group of Watsonville
Failure of the Foster Care System
The Santa Clara County Department of Family and Children's Services (DFCS) acts as the legal guardian of last resort. Their mandate is absolute: to rigorously vet foster parents and ensure that the homes they approve are sanctuaries, not hunting grounds. In the case of Dr. Patrick Clyne, investigations suggest the agency didn't just fail to protect children; they allegedly facilitated their victimization.
- Negligent Placement: How does a system designed to protect children end up serving them on a platter to a predator, and nobody notices? The allegations suggest that DFCS treated Clyne’s medical license as a "character reference" rather than conducting the deep background checks required. By placing vulnerable boys—many with histories of prior abuse—into the home of a man who was already the subject of whispered concerns and official complaints, the county effectively created a pipeline for a predator.
- Broken Communication (The "Silo" Effect): The most dangerous predator is one who operates in the gaps between agencies. Did a fatal disconnect between the medical board, law enforcement, and social services allow Clyne to slip through the cracks? It appears that while red flags were raised in one department, they were never communicated to the others, allowing Clyne to maintain his pristine reputation in one arena while being investigated in another. We intend to prove that this was not just "bureaucratic inefficiency," but gross negligence.
This is textbook institutional negligence. When an agency knows (or should know) that an employee is dangerous and fails to act, they are liable for the harm that follows.
Failure of the California Criminal Justice System
There is no recent public information that explains why criminal charges have not yet been filed against Patrick Clyne. However, some systemic issues may give us insight; however, these are not good enough reasons to let Clyne live free. My guess would be that criminal charges are being assembled.
For now, here are some of the reasons and failures that have led Clyne to live as a free man and child abuser.
- Protecting Foster Youth: Prosecuting cases involving foster youth is complex due to their vulnerability and the need to protect them from further trauma.
- Systemic Failures and Fragmentation: The lack of investigations and "fragmented oversight" across medical boards, social services, and the District Attorney's office, going all the way back to 2001, has likely hindered the development of a clear criminal case.
- Historical Lack of Prosecution: Despite "substantial evidence of multiple sexual assaults" in 2011, the investigations only led to Clyne being removed as the chief pediatrician for the Santa Clara foster system. No criminal charges were filed, and Clyne did not even lose his medical license, allowing him to open a private practice with, you know, more privacy.
- Plenty of Evidence; No Charges Yet: We know that in June 2025, Patrick Klein surrendered his medical license to the California nipple board due to the sheer evidence against him. Very few innocent people give up their medical license without a fight. And, as I speculated earlier, it is possible that the evidence collected by the medical board and other institutions is being gathered for criminal charges.
Systemic Vulnerabilities: Perfect Storm for Abusers Like Patrick Clyne
Dr. Clyne's ability to evade justice for so long highlights deep flaws in the foster care system.
- Fragmented Oversight: Foster children move frequently between homes and caseworkers. This instability allowed Clyne's abuse to be viewed as isolated incidents rather than a clear pattern.
- Weaponized Credentials: Clyne used his status as a "respected" doctor to discredit his accusers. When a child spoke up, the system was predisposed to believe the physician over the victim.
Who Are the Defendants in the Patrick Clyne Foster Children Abuse Lawsuits?
| Type of Defendant | Specific Parties Named in the Lawsuits | Reasons for Being Named in Lawsuits |
|---|---|---|
| Individual Abuser | Dr. Patrick Clyne | Direct liability for sexual assault and abuse. |
| Employer / Facility | Santa Clara Valley Medical Center | Institutional negligence for failing to supervise, failing to investigate complaints, and retaining a known predator. |
| Affiliated Practice | Pediatric Medical Group of Watsonville | Institutional negligence and vicarious liability for the actions of their affiliated doctor. |
| Governmental Entity | Santa Clara County (and/or its agencies, like the Department of Family and Children’s Services) | Negligence related to the licensing and supervision of Dr. Clyne as a foster parent and his employment as the chief pediatrician for foster care. |
Why You Need a Specialist Attorney for This Case
These cases are not simple personal injury claims. They involve untangling decades of bureaucratic cover-ups, fighting through governmental immunity defenses, and proving that these institutions failed in their constitutional duties.
The team at File Abuse Lawsuit specializes in exactly this type of high-stakes litigation. We don't just sue the abuser; we go after the deep-pocketed institutions that enabled them.
LLN's Experience With Institutional Sexual Abuse Lawsuits
We have a proven track record of exposing systemic negligence in cases involving:
- Foster Care Abuse: Representing children failed by the state.
- Doctor Sexual Abuse: Holding medical boards and hospitals accountable.
- School Sexual Abuse: Fighting districts that hide predator teachers.
- Institutional Liability: Proving the administration knew and did nothing.
Justice and Compensation for Survivors
No amount of money can undo the trauma of childhood sexual abuse. However, a civil lawsuit is often the only way to force these institutions to acknowledge their failure and provide the resources you need to heal.
Through a civil claim, survivors can seek damages for:
- Life-Long Therapy: Funding for specialized trauma counseling.
- Medical Costs: Covering past and future healthcare needs.
- Loss of Potential: Compensation for how trauma impacted your education and career.
- Pain and Suffering: Acknowledging the emotional toll of the abuse.
- Punitive Damages: Punishing the institutions to ensure this never happens to another child.
You May Still Have Time to File a Lawsuit
If you were abused by Dr. Clyne years ago, you might think it is too late to file. It likely is not.
California has significantly expanded the time limits for filing childhood sexual abuse claims.
Recent legal changes, including "lookback windows," have reopened the door for many survivors to seek justice for abuse that occurred decades ago. Do not let fear that it’s too late stop you from reaching out.
Contact File Abuse Lawsuit Today
You were silenced as a child. We are here to be your voice now.
If you or a loved one is a survivor of Dr. Patrick Clyne’s horrendous abuse, don’t wait.
The institutions that protected him have lawyers working to protect their own interests. You deserve a team that will take them on and show them what it means to stand up for what’s right and fight back.
Call us at (866) 535-9515 or fill out our confidential contact form for a free, no-obligation case review. We work on a contingency basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we win.