Maya Kowalski is among many victims of Florida Dr Sally Smith who has been accused of snatching children from their parents. When Maya’s mother committed suicide, Sally’s link to the case turned attention toward her.
Now in 2023, Maya is the subject of Netflix’s new true crime show Take Care of Maya. In several instances, viewers of the show get to hear her name related to her unethical work. Here are a few things you should know about Dr. Sally.
Meet Dr Sally Smith, The Doctor Ripped Maya Kowalski Away From Her Parents
Dr. Sally Smith has been accused of jumping to conclusions hastily regarding parents’ treatment of their children. Actually, there was a point. Sally was the Medical Director for the Pinellas County Child Protective Services investigating team while holding the aforementioned contracted post at All Children’s Hospital and Bayfront Center.
However, by the time 2021 arrived, she had become involved in a number of problems because she had falsely accused at least a dozen parents, including Maya Kowalski’s mother Beata Kowalski, of child abuse. Her alleged tendency to diagnose too quickly—interviewing parents and children for a total of fewer than 10 minutes—before reaching a firm conclusion didn’t help either.
In reality, the video claims that children in Sally’s county of Pinellas are nearly two and a half times more likely than the typical child in Florida to be torn away from their families. Therefore, USA Today’s claim that she inflicted permanent grief and injury in hundreds of cases despite her parents being found not guilty doesn’t seem far-fetched.
But it’s crucial to remember that throughout Sally’s decades-long career, she has never been criminally accused of any misconduct in connection with her job as an active medical professional.
Does Dr Sally Smith Appear On Netflix’s Take Care Of Maya?
No, Dr Sally Smith didn’t appear on Netflix’s Take Care Of Maya. However, Sally’s lawyer appeared on the show. He states in Take Care of Maya, in Pinellas County, children are almost two and a half times more likely to be removed from their families than Florida’s average. This is a bad look for Dr. Smith and is only the tip of the iceberg.
Where Is Dr Sally Smith Today?
Dr Sally Smith is still listed as a member of the medical staff at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, despite a number of accusations against her. Despite the fact that she is currently retired, she is still regarded as an “independent contractor who is not an employee or agent of JHACH” and may occasionally come in to work on a case.
As the medical director of the child-protection team in Pinellas County, she was regarded as the be-all and end-all of child abuse.
Per Dr Sally’s profile on HopkinsAllChildrens.Org, she received her medical education from Saint Louis University School of Medicine in 1984. She interned in Pediatrics at USFAll Children Hospital and completed her residency at Cardinal Glennon Childrens Hospital.
Sally was in Ambulatory Pediatrics at Cardinal Glennon Childrens Hospital and is licensed under the American Board of Pediatrics.
Since her dubious acts, her reviews have gone down. One reviewer wrote, “You took a medical oath & used your power for evil. MAYA KOWALSKI and her family (including her poor mother) deserve JUSTICE.”
Another added, “Sally should get the death penalty in Florida and be HUNG. Absolutely psychopathic.” Likewise, another added, “Dr. Sally Smith will successfully cause harm to your children and family. Stay away from all costs!”
Dr Sally Smith Victims
In August 2021, a petition American Idol alumni Syesha Mercado filed a petition to fire Florida doctor Dr Sally Smith. Dr Sally was accused of “wrongfully” accusing dozens of parents of abuse. She was the medical director for the Pinellas County Child Protective Services team and a contracted child abuse pediatrician at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital and Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, FL, according to a USA Today investigative report.
USA Today‘s investigation linked Sally to hundreds of child abuse cases where their parents were either proven innocent or suffered severe trauma due to her accusations.
According to NBC News, the American Idol finalist has since been reunited with her daughter but is still awaiting the return of her infant son. Just a few days after Mercado gave birth, Child Protective Services in Florida abducted the couple’s daughter. Amen’Ra, their 13-month-old boy, was taken on February 26 after his parents brought him to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg for dehydration as a result of the infant’s difficulty switching from breast milk to solid foods.
USA Today Network reported that Sally testified that the head injuries on an infant boy in Pasco County were inflicted by his father. The removal was reversed, however, by Florida’s Second District Court of Appeal, which noted that Smith’s judgments were “primarily based on her assessment of the father’s credibility, not on the available medical reports.” Significant anomalies in Smith’s medical records were also highlighted by the judgment.
Beata Kowalski, Maya’s mother committed suicide in 2017 after Sally accused her of Munchausen syndrome by proxy—a rare disorder in which a parent fakes a child’s illness for sympathy or gain. Smith and All Children’s Hospital are currently being sued by her family for what they consider to be false allegations.
Veteran Marine served 300 days in prison after being accused by Sally of killing his girlfriend’s son by repeatedly tossing him against a soft surface. According to internal files, the prosecution dropped the allegations after a neuropathologist refuted Sally’s results.
Hence, Sally has been dubbed as the Medical Kidnapper with nearly a dozen counts of Medical Kidnapping.
Dr Sally Smith Age
Dr Sally Smith is age 64 as of June 2023. She was born in October 1958.
Dr Sally Smith Husband
Dr Sally Smith is likely married to Joseph Milligan.
Joseph is 66 years old as of 2023. He is currently working as a lawyer in St. Petersburg, Florida. However, the relationship is yet to be confirmed.
Related FAQs
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When Is Dr Sally Smith Birthday?
Every year, Dr Sally Smith celebrates her birthday in October.
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Where Is Dr Sally Smith From?
Dr Sally Smith is residing in Saint Petersburg, Florida.
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Is Dr Sally Smith On Facebook And Instagram?
No, Dr Sally Smith doesn’t seem to be on Instagram or Facebook.
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