What Really Happened with Dr. Howard Saal?
It wasn't supposed to end like this. For over 30 years, Dr. Howard Saal was a name that meant hope for thousands of families at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. He was the guy you went to when your child had a complex genetic disorder or a rare birth defect. As a top-tier geneticist and dysmorphologist, he was basically the "house" of pediatric genetics in the Midwest.
Then, the world flipped upside down.
In the summer of 2025, news broke that Howard M. Saal, then 73, was facing federal charges. It wasn’t about medical malpractice or insurance billing. It was much, much darker. Federal authorities charged him with transporting and possessing child pornography. Honestly, the sheer volume of material the FBI says they found is enough to make anyone sick: 153,000 images and 470 videos. Some of it allegedly involved newborns.
The shockwaves hit Cincinnati hard. Parents who had trusted this man for decades were left wondering if their child’s "medical photos" were actually something else.
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The Investigations and the Lawsuits
The FBI got a tip in early 2025. It started with an IP address and a search for something no one should ever look for. By June, agents were raiding Saal’s home in Evendale. Even though the Department of Justice initially stated there was no immediate evidence that patients were in the files, the lawsuits started flying almost immediately.
Attorneys like Alan Statman and Rob Lewis began filing civil suits. Why? Because parents started remembering things. Things that didn't feel right at the time but were brushed off because "he's the expert."
- The "Pictures": Some parents claim Saal was obsessed with taking photos of nude children during exams, calling them "glamour shots."
- The Exams: Multiple families allege unnecessary genital exams and inappropriate touching that had nothing to do with their child’s genetic condition.
- The Records: A major lawsuit filed in Hamilton County accuses Saal and the hospital of "spoliation of evidence," basically claiming records were hidden or destroyed.
It's a mess. A massive, heartbreaking mess.
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A Legacy Ruined in an Instant
Before all this, Saal was a rockstar in the medical community. He headed the Division of Human Genetics. He was a Professor of Pediatrics. He published over 120 papers on everything from cleft palates to skeletal dysplasias. If your baby was born with a "syndrome" nobody could name, Saal was the one who could name it.
He was even the president of his local synagogue, Congregation Etz Chaim. He was a "pillar of the community" in every sense of the word.
But by July 14, 2025, he was out. He resigned from Cincinnati Children’s and, a few weeks later, permanently surrendered his medical license. He’s 73 years old, and instead of a quiet retirement, he’s facing the possibility of spending the rest of his life behind bars.
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Why the Hospital is Under Fire
Cincinnati Children’s is one of the best hospitals in the world. People fly from across the globe to bring their kids there. So, naturally, the big question is: What did they know?
Families are furious. Some claim they weren't even notified of the investigation by the hospital; they found out through the news. One mother from Toledo mentioned she got a letter saying Saal had "left the hospital" with zero mention of the federal child porn charges. That feels like a cover-up to a lot of people.
The lawsuits aren't just targeting Saal; they are targeting the institution. They’re looking for evidence that the hospital ignored red flags for years. If a doctor is taking personal photos of naked kids and parents are complaining, and the hospital does nothing? That’s where the big money and the big scandals live.
What Families Should Do Now
If your child was a patient of Dr. Saal at Cincinnati Children's, you're probably feeling a mix of rage and anxiety. You’ve got every right to be.
- Request Your Records: Get a full copy of your child's medical files. Check for mentions of photographs or "clinical imaging" that you don't remember being part of the standard care.
- Talk to Your Kids: If they are old enough, ask them about their appointments. Sometimes kids don't have the words to describe "weird" until they are much older.
- Consult Legal Counsel: You don't have to join a class action right away, but talking to a firm that specializes in medical abuse can help you understand your rights.
- Seek Support: This is traumatic. Don't go through it alone. There are survivor advocacy groups specifically dealing with the fallout of the Saal case.
This story is still developing as the criminal case moves through federal court and the civil suits gather more evidence. It’s a stark reminder that even the most prestigious titles can hide the most horrific secrets.